


A Song of Snakes and Wolves

by bellarose_riddle



Series: Vipers and Direwolves [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Dead People, Don't Judge Me, F/M, Graphic Description of Corpses, I Don't Even Know, Implied/Referenced Suicide, O plus L equals J, Please Don't Hate Me, Please Don't Kill Me, Pre-A Game of Thrones, Robert's Rebellion, Violence, semi-canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-26
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2018-01-10 03:32:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 63,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1154289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellarose_riddle/pseuds/bellarose_riddle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oberyn had never expected to fall in love, just like he had never expected to get married, but a certain she-wolf may, or may not, make him change his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the beginning

She had never been so excited about anything before.  
Brandon had told her that all the great lords of The Seven Kingdoms would be at the tourney of Harenhall, and he had also laughed and said that he would defeat them all and crown her Queen of Love and Beauty.  
But she couldn't care less about that.  
Ned and Benjen where at the stables while Brandon talked to their father and Lyanna let herself fall on the bed and closed her eyes.  
They were supposed to meet Catelyn and Lysa Tully, and their father, Lord Hoster, at the tourney and her father had asked her to be nice to the girl who would soon be her sister in law.  
Lyanna, who had come to love Brandon more than any other of her brothers, didn't want to let him go.  
She had never met Catelyn Tully but she was sure she would not like her.  
"Lya" called Benjen "we are ready to go."  
She stood up and gave a look to her room one last time.  
She had never gone down The Neck, and had never spent more than two days away from Winterfell.  
She smiled weakly, and a part of her desired to stay there, at home, with her father, but she turned around and followed Benjen.  
Everything was ready outside.  
"Hi, boy" Lyanna told her horse, Winter "We are going to have our little adventure now, aren't we?"  
Lord Rickard Stark came out to say goodbye to his children, and Lyanna thought he looked tired.  
"Remember what I told you" their father told Brandon "if anything happens..."  
"I know" her big brother interrupted.  
Rickard smiled.  
"Be safe, my children" he said and then looked at Lyanna "Do you remember our words?"  
"Winter is coming" she answered firmly and, suddenly, she was not scared for leaving home anymore.  
She was Lyanna Stark of Winterfell, a daughter of The North, a direwolf, and she would not be afraid.  
She placed her horse next to Ned's right after they crossed the gate and her brother smiled at her.  
"Excited?"  
"Of course!" she replied "We are going to a tourney, Ned! Maybe I would be able to participate"  
Ned laughed and shook his head.  
" Brandon would probably encourage you to do it"  
“But in the end he’d never let me” Lyanna said, sadly “He loves me too much to risk my safety”  
Ned gave her a serious look.  
“Do I not love you, sister?”  
“Not as much as I do!” Benjen screamed from behind.  
Both Lyanna and Ned turned to look at him but Benjen just laughed. Not long after that the three of them were laughing nonstop. 

 

When Elia entered her brother’s chambers, he was half naked, drinking dornish wine and leaning against the balcony.  
“Morning, sister” he smirked and let himself fall on a chair.  
Elia sighed and sat in front of him.  
“So, have you think about it?”  
Oberyn looked at her as though he didn’t know what she was speaking about.  
“Think about what, your grace?”  
Elia crossed her legs and placed her hands on her lap and Oberyn knew she was going to sweet talk him.  
“This tourney could be a great chance for you” she took the glass of wine from his hands to make him pay more attention to her “Dorne needs a new princess and you need a wife”  
Oberyn frowned.  
“You sound like Doran” he complained “Am I the only one on this family that doesn’t speak nonsense?”  
“You are the only one in this family speaking nonsense” Elia replied, visibly upset “But fine, if this is what you want I guess Doran will have to choose your bride himself” she smirked “Maybe one of ladies in waiting”  
Oberyn’s viper eyes turned darker than usual.  
“If you dare to say Cersei Lannister I will forget that you are my sister and will never talk to you again”  
Elia laughed.  
“She is pretty!” she said, even if she could perfectly understand why her brother didn’t like the Lannister girl.  
“She is vain. There is no more selfish person in this world than that girl” he thought about it twice “well, maybe her brother”  
“So you would not marry her?”  
Oberyn took his wine glass back.  
“I would rather marry Willas Tyrell”  
Elia shook her head but couldn’t stop smiling at her brother’s joke.


	2. Harrenhal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the spelling mistakes

By the time they arrived at Harrenhal, most of the houses of the Seven Kingdoms were already there.

Lyanna saw a hundred different coat of arms but she only recognized half of them.

Her smile faded when she saw him.

Robert was waiting for them and placed himself next to her horse to help her.

Lyanna didn’t need his help but she couldn’t sent him away.

“My lady” he smiled, looking at her with hungry eyes.

Before Lyanna could answer Ned came to embrace his friend and she managed to escape.

She took Winter to the stables.

Harrenhal was huge but Lyanna already knew that.

She had read about it a long time ago.

Harrenhal had been built on a gigantic scale, and Harren the Black had boasted that his fortress was impregnable. However, he had not account with Aegon the Conqueror and his dragons invading Westeros.

And Aegon had burned Harren and all his descendants alive inside those walls.

There were a couple of stable boys helping the lords to place their horses on the right place and one of them took Lyanna to where the horses of House Stark should be.

“You will be safe here” she told Winter just after the boy left “and I’ll come to see you as soon as possible”

She left her horse there and, when she was leaving, she heard a boy screaming and she turned around.

One of the horses, a powerful black stallion, was giving the boys a hard time.

One of them fell to the floor and Lyanna, scared that he could get hurt, walk to them and grabbed the horse by the stirrup.

“Be careful, my lady” one of the stable boys told her, while the he helped the one on the floor getting up.

But she needn’t worry. She had always had a connection with horses, and Barbrey Ryswell had once said she was half a horse herself.

The stallion seemed to calm down.

It was then when she heard the laugh.

A man was standing next to the door, looking at her.

“Well done, my lady” he said.

He was dressed in an orange tunic embroidered with small golden suns.

Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, a Prince of Dorne.

Lyanna only knew him for his reputation. 

She had once heard Brandon saying that if half the things people said about Oberyn were right they could be great friends.

Lyanna left the horse and made her way to the door.

Oberyn smiled at her and Lyanna thought that his eyes were like a snake’s.

“May I have your name?” he asked.

She hesitated.

“Lyanna Stark of Winterfell” she said and left.

Oberyn smirked.

Elia saw the girl leaving and frowned.

“Who was that?” she asked.

Her brother, who was taking care of Fire, the black stallion that no one but him could tame, turned to look at her.

“A she-wolf" he smiled.


	3. Of wolves, stags, fishes and vipers

Ned felt pity for Robert.

His friend was so convinced that he was going to marry Lyanna that he had even started thinking names for their children.

“Imagine them” Robert had told him “They will be warriors”

Ned had just nodded, not knowing what to say.

He knew the truth after all.

Her father wanted a good match for Lyanna, someone of a great house who would protect her and love her, and even if Ned himself had told him that Robert would do all that, his father had his doubts.

So, as his father could not leave Winterfell, he had given Brandon the task of finding Lyanna the best husband in all Seven Kingdoms and negotiate the dowry. 

And, even if Ned wished that one day Robert and him could be truly family, he knew that his older brother was not fond of the Lord of Storm’s End.

But well, in the end, it didn’t matter what they wanted, because Ned knew that Lyanna would be the one to choose her husband.

He went to the back field of the castle where the lords were training with their horses.

Benjen was speaking to Ser Arthur Dayne, The Sword of the Morning, and seemed fascinated.

Lyanna was sitting not far from them, with Catelyn and Lysa Tully.

They had met the girls soon after they arrive and, even if Ned found the nice and sweet, Lyanna didn’t seem very pleased with them.

“They are not nice, Ned” she had told him “They are boring and naive. And they are not even funny”

But Ned could read in her eyes what her words didn’t say.

She was scared of losing her brother’s love because of Catelyn and that was the real reason of her repulsion against the Tully girls.

Brandon entered the field in that very same moment and Ned almost jumped of surprise when he saw his companion.

What was his brother doing with The Red Viper of Dorne?

They looked like they were enjoying themselves, laughing and chatting. 

And it was then, when he turned back to Lyanna, that he discovered her looking at the very same direction he was looking at.

She excused herself and left Catelyn and Lysa alone. Ned thought that he must entertain the ladies for a while, since his sister was not going to do it, and sat next to them.

Catelyn welcomed him with a warm smile.

 

Lyanna crossed the field and smiled to her brother.

Brandon, who was talking to Oberyn Martell, saw her and welcomed her with an embrace.

“Enjoying yourself, brother?” she asked.

“Indeed, sister” Brandon smiled.

Oberyn took her hand and kissed it gently.

“My lady” he smirked and Lyanna felt his viper eyes digging into her soul “If you excuse me” he said then looking back at Brandon “My lady sister is waiting for me and I wouldn’t like to make her wait”

“Sure. See you around” Brandon answered.

Lyanna found herself watching the Prince Oberyn as he walked away.

She shook her head.

“Trying to make an alliance with Dorne, brother dear?” she grabbed Brandon’s arm and they both walked around the field, avoiding the horsemen who rode near them.

“I don’t think I understand what your words imply, Lya”

“Come on, Bran!” she knew that her brother didn’t like it when others called him as they did when he was a child, and she was the only one who was allowed to call him like that “I may be young but I’m not stupid”

“I never say you were” he tried to cut her off.

“You” she continue “are going to marry The Riverlands, and Ned could marry Casterly Rock, then I’d be sent to The Stormlands and Benjen would marry or Dorne or The Reach. Father wants a legacy that will last thousands of years after our deaths”

Brandon smirked.

“Sometimes I think I don’t give you your due, little sister”

Lyanna smiled, proud of herself, knowing that she was right.

“I know that you hate Cat because I’m going to marry her” he said then and Lyanna frowned “But, Lya, you must know that, whomever Ned, Benjen or I marry, we will never stop loving you. We are a pack, remember?”

She nodded, and smiled.

“The pack survives” she told him.

Brandon kissed her on the forehead and they both walked to the place where their siblings where.

Ser Arthur had just left and Benjen was telling Catelyn something about Staks turning into wolves at night.

Lysa looked frightened. 

Lyanna laughed and sat next to Ned, who embraced her and kissed her cheek.

When Brandon was telling the girls about a day when Ned and him got lost on The Wolfswood, a great fuss happened behind them, but none of them noticed until Lysa spoke, half shocked, half scared.

“Isn’t that the Crown Prince’s brother in law?”

“Aye” Brandon answered.

Prince Oberyn was standing shirtless, spear in hand, friendly fighting against his uncle, Ser Lewyn.

“He seems as deadly and impulsive as they say” Lysa whispered biting her lip.

Catelyn gave her a reproachful look.

Lyanna watched the play of muscles in his chest and was surprised by how fast he moved. He is strong, she thought.

Their eyes met and he smiled.


	4. Fraternizing with snakes

Benjen, who was on his chamber, let himself fall on the chair.

Brandon had won the fighting with swords but only, Benjen was sure of that, because Ser Arthur Dayne had not participated.

The Lady Ashara Dayne had congratulated him personally and Benjen had seen wanting, not on Brandon eyes, but on Ned’s.

He had started laughing nonstop.

Lyanna, who had been in the stands and had cheered Brandon more than anyone, had disappeared just after the fight had ended. 

 

After changing her dress for her riding clothes and a grey cloak, she had gone to the godswood for a while because, even if she didn’t recognize it, she missed Winterfell, and now she was wondering around Harrenhal.

She was impressed by the tall towers and the melted walls.

She had always loved the War of Conquest and being there, in the place where Aegon burned Harren the Black, she felt like she was part of that story too.

It was then when she saw her.

A little six or seven year old girl was running after a cat. 

She was slim and slender as a willow, and she was wearing dirty boy clothes. Her hair, dark as a wolf's mouth, was tangled on a braid down her shoulder.

The cat entered a small hole on the wall and left.

The girl cursed quietly and then she turned to Lyanna, surprised.

“My lady” she said, making a little reverence.

“Hi” Lyanna smiled “what’s your name?”

The girl’s deep dark eyes looked straight into Lyanna’s grey eyes.

“Nym” she answered “and, who are you?”

It was fun to see how the little girl spoke to her as if she was her equal, without paying attention to her title. 

She liked that.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nym. I’m Lyanna.”

“Pleasure to meet you too, Lyanna” her eyes went to the place where the cat had disappeared.

Lyanna noticed it.

“Why were you chasing that cat?” she asked, really curious.

She remembered doing something like that at Winterfell, running after every animal she would find.

“I was trying to be quick as a snake”

“Well, then you should chase snakes, don’t you think?”

Nym seemed to consider what she had said, and cocked her head.

“I guess so” she whispered.

Lyanna smiled again.

“I must go” she said and gave her an affectionate little touch with the fingertips on the tip of the nose.

“See you around” Nym smiled back at her and left, running down the corridor.

 

Elia was lying on the bed, without any strength to get up.

Oberyn entered her chamber and smiled sadly at her.

“Your grace” he said and sat in the edge of the bed.

His sister took his hand between hers.

“I’m fine” she assured “just a little tired. But I’ll be better soon”

“I know” Oberyn replied, even if he was not sure of that.

He had always feared that his sister’s illness would take her out of his side. Since they were children they had always been together and Oberyn did not know what he’d do if anything happened to her.

“So” she said, changing topic “where is my lovely niece?”

“Somewhere in the castle, making fun of the ladies and terrifying the children” he smiled, proudly.

“She is just like you” Elia smiled back.

There was a moment of silence where none of them said anything and then Oberyn bent to kiss her on the forehead.

“Rest” he told her “I’ll see you at the feast”

 

Benjen was scared of the King, but he’d never admit it.

Although he was only thirty eight years old, he looked much older. His fingernails were nearly a foot long, and his hair and beard hung far past his shoulders in wild tangles.

He ate little and left soon.

Benjen heard Robert telling his little brother Renly that the King was angry with Tywin Lannister and that was the reason why The Hand did not come to the tourney and why Aerys had told Jaime Lannister to leave to King’s Landing just after he knighted him.

Ned was dancing with the Lady Ashara Dayne, but just because Brandon had asked her to because Ned was too shy to ask himself. 

Lyanna was sat next to him, with a glass of wine between her fingers. He could tell she was bored.

She had changed her riding clothes for a soft blue dress and was wearing jewels. Her dark hair was loose.

Benjen knew she was pretty but he preferred her sister like she was on Winterfell.

A girl that would not care for her clothes or her hair. A girl that would wear muddy clothes. A girl that would climb trees and towers with him.

He was sad that she was leaving to marry some lord from the south but he had only tell that to Ned, for he knew his brother felt the same way.

Lyanna turned to him.

“What’s wrong, Ben?” she asked.

“Nothing” he shook his head “I’m just bored”

Lyanna looked back to the lords and ladies dancing in front of them.

Ned looked happy dancing with Ashara and Catelyn was laughing at something that Brandon said.

Lysa Tully was dancing with Oberyn Martell and it seemed like she was scared of looking at him for she never looked him in the eye.

When Lyanna turned to the main table, where Prince Rhaegar and Princess Elia were sitting, she saw Nym, the girl who was chasing a cat that morning.

Nym was wearing a very beautiful orange dress and her hair was on a braid, decorated with little golden suns.

She was sitting on the princess' lap, laughing.

Lyanna felt like she was stupid. 

Nym. Nymeria.

How did she not see it from the very first moment?

She rose and felt Benjen staring at her.

She walked slowly to their table, made a little reverence before the Crown Prince, and sat near the princess.

 

Elia had been looking at Lyanna, while Nym told her about how sweet and gentle the Lady Stark was.

Her niece told her about her meeting with Lyanna that morning, saying that she was not like the other ladies, that she liked her.

It was then when Lyanna walked near them.

“Lady Lyanna” Elia said.

“Your Grace” The Stark girl sat next to them “Hello, Nym”

“Hi” Nymeria smiled “you are pretty” she told her.

Lyanna returned the smile.

“Not as much as you” she touched one of the little suns that decorated Nymeria’s hair “They are cute”

Before the girl could answer Oberyn called her.

Elia turned to her brother and was almost sure that he was looking to Lyanna.

Nymeria run to her father and he took her in his arms and danced with her, laughing.

“She is your niece, isn’t she?” Lyanna asked, her eyes fixed on the dancing pairs. 

“Yes” Elia answered, curious about Lyanna’s intentions “one of them”

“I’ve heard they are three”

She has heard? Elia thought. Of course she had. Everyone knew about Oberyn’s daughters and that was one of the many difficulties Doran had to find him a bride.

“You’ve heard right. Obara is ten, Nymeria is almost seven and Tyene, whose hair is like the sun, is a sweet four year old girl”

Lyanna hesitated before speaking again.

“I once heard that the little one, Tyene, was daughter of a Septa” and she added quickly “but of course that must be just a gossip”

Elia squinted, a gesture she shared with her brother, and watched her curiously, laughing slightly.

“It is no gossip, my lady. Tyene is indeed the daughter of a Septa”

Lyanna’s eyes were wide open and she opened and closed her mouth a couple of times.

“He bedded a Septa…that’s…he must be...I mean…wow!”

Lyanna flushed, probably altered by her own thoughts, and Elia smiled. 

"Do you like my brother, my lady?" 

"I barely know him, your grace" she cleared her throat "I should go back to my table. My little brother seems bored"

She made a little reverence and walked away.

The Dornish princess rose from her sit and, taking advantage of the change of the song, she walked towards Brandon Stark.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, your grace?” he asked when they started dancing.

“I heard you are looking for a husband for your sister. I may have a suggestion”


	5. The crannogman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the spelling mistakes.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Oberyn rose from the chair and turned to his sister, who was standing on the balcony, behind him.

The air was warm and the sun was shining.

Elia was wearing a golden dress and a golden sun decorated her right arm. Her dark hair was tangled back and her deep eyes were as bright as Nymeria's star.

There was no sight of her illness and Oberyn was happy for it.

The bad thing was that, when Elia had nothing to do, she tended to think, and plan, and plot, and Oberyn knew better than anyone how smart his older sister was.

He would have never expected this, anyways.

He could hear the swords crashing, even from there, and he looked down to the field as he placed himself next to Elia.

"I thought you liked her" his sister answered without looking at him.

"I think she is a smart and wilful girl, she seems determinate and fierce, and I like that, Elia, but she is a child! I do not bed children!"

Elia turned to him.

"Do not try to lie to me, Oberyn. And do not try to lie to yourself. The girl is fourteen; she is beautiful, fierce, strong and funny. You may not bed children but she certainly does not look like a child" she laughed at him and her eyes, the same viper eyes that he had, seemed to turn even darker "I saw you the other day, smiling when she left the stables, and I saw you half naked trying to gain her attention while fighting against uncle Lewyn. And do not dare to say you were not looking at her yesterday night because we both know that you were!"

Elia's speech left him speechless.

Yes, he had smiled when he had seen how the northern girl had tamed his untameable horse. 

Yes, he had been practicing half naked with uncle Lewyn near her but he was not trying to gain her attention, was he?

No, he definitely was not. 

She was just a kid after all.

"That is not even the point, sister! You talked to Brandon Stark. You tried to arrange a marriage for me without even consulting me! I do not want to marry!"

"Well, then you must tell that to Doran" she smiled, knowing that she was going to win this argument “He seems quite happy with the perspective of an alliance with The North, and the both of us find the perspective of you, little brother, walking to the altar quite funny”

Oberyn turned to her.

He didn’t even know how he felt at that moment.

He socked his head and gave her a serious glare.

“I will not marry” he said and turned around.

 

Brandon and Ned were sitting on one of their chambers but none of them seemed to be concentrated on the things they were doing.

Ned was upset if not angry with Brandon, and he knew Lyanna would kill their eldest brother when she found out what he was trying to arrange.

“And you said it was the princess who proposed it” Ned said.

“Indeed, she did” Brandon, who was resting on the bed, looked at him and sat up “I was surprised at first, but anyone is better than Robert”

“I’m sorry brother, but I don’t see how The Red Viper of Dorne is better than my best friend”

Brandon sighed and did not answer.

“You know, I know I won’t win this argument, but I don’t care. Lyanna will kill you and feed the wolves with your remains”

 

Howland was walking across the field, enjoying the warm spring day and harming none, when he was set upon by three squires. 

They were none older than fifteen, yet even so they were bigger than him , all three. This was their world, as the saw it, and he had no right to be there. They snarched away his spear and knicked him to the ground, cursing him for a frogeater."

He didn’t know who they were or why they were disturbing him. 

None offered a name, but he marked their faces well so he could revenge himself upon them later. They shoved him down every time he tried to rise, and kicked him when he curled up on the ground. 

It was then when Howland heard a roar. 

“That's my father's man you're kicking” 

A young woman approached them.

She was wearing a grey dress and holding a tourney sword.

The squires laughed at her.

It was then when the crannogman saw the sigil of House Stark that she wore on her necklace.

The she-wolf laid into the squires with a tourney sword, scattering them all. 

She knelt next to him.

“Don’t you worry” she told him “You are safe now”

“Lyanna!” a young boy called the she-wolf.

Howland tried to speak. 

He wanted to thank her. He wanted to tell her that he would always owe her a debt.

“Benjen” Lyanna answered “Help me”

While Lyanna helped Howland getting up her brother passed his arm around his shoulder to hold him still.

“Who is he?”

“I don’t know his name” she answered “but he wears the sigil of House Reed”

“You risked your safety to help a man you didn’t know?”

“Those squires were hitting him and had no right to do it. Plus, he is our father’s man, a northerner, one of us, and we must help him”

Howland found his voice then.

“Thank you” he coughed “my lady”

Lyanna looked back at him.

“Don’t waste your energy” she answered “You have nothing to thank me”

By the time they arrived to their chambers both Benjen and Lyanna were exhausted.

Brandon and Ned were already there.

“What the bloody hell…” Brandon started.

“He is a Reed” Lyanna explained “Some squires were mistreating him and I saved him”

“You saved him?” Brandon asked.

Lyanna and Benjen sat the crannongman on a couch and Benjen went to take some bandages and wet wipes to cure him.

“I used a tourney sword to beat the squires”

Her brother laughed loudly.

Howland drank the water glass the quite wolf gave him and turned to the she-wolf.

“Thank you, again, my lady Lyanna” 

“As I said” she took one of the wet wipes to wipe of the blood from his face “there is nothing to thank”

“So” Brandon insisted “my little baby sister is know a soldier who beats squires”

From that moment on, Howland decided to call the older brother wild wolf.

“You have to get ready for supper, Lya” Ned said “I’ll take care of him”

Lyanna smiled at Howland.

“Ned is shy sometimes but you are in good hands, I promise” then she turned to her brother “Find him some clean clothes and make sure he comes to the feast”

Ned nodded.

 

Howland joined them that night at the feast and he was almost recovered and happy.

He found out that the wild wolf was the one who took all the important decisions around there, that the quiet wolf didn’t say much but heard everything, that the she-wolf was a true lady even if she didn’t want to recognize it, and that the pup didn’t care about anything but enjoying the moment.

Under Harren's roof he ate and drank with the wolves, and many of their sworn swords besides, barrowdown men and moose and bears and mermen. 

The dragon prince sang a song so sad it made the wolf maid sniffle, but when her pup brother teased her for crying she poured wine over his head. 

A black brother spoke, asking the knights to join the Night's Watch. 

The storm lord drank down the knight of skulls and kisses in a wine-cup war and the she-wolf seemed disgusted with him. 

Amidst all this merriment, the little crannogman spied the three squires who'd attacked him. 

One served a pitchfork knight, one a porcupine, while the last attended a knight with two towers on his surcoat.

Lyanna saw them too, and pointed them out to her brothers. 

“I could find you a horse, and some armor that might fit” Benjen offered. 

The little crannogman thanked him, but gave no answer. 

Lyanna understood why perfectly.

She knew that he felt useless against them and she promised herself she would make those squires pay for what they’d done.

Benjen turned to her.

He still smelled to wine even though he had gone to clean himself change his clothes.

“Is it just me or Oberyn Martell has spend half the feast looking at you?”

Lyanna turned to the place where The Red Viper was and, just as Benjen had said, he was staring at her.

She didn’t hold his gaze for long.

Instead she went back to thinking about her plan.

“Benjen” she called.

“Yes?”

She turned to him.

“I’m going to need your help”


	6. The Knight of The Laughing Tree

“Isn’t Lya going to come with us?” Ned asked.

Benjen turned to him while the three of them sat on their places, ready to see the jousting.

“She didn’t feel well” he answered.

“I will go to see her before dinner” Brandon said, trying calm Ned “I still have to speak with her, anyways”

Benjen looked at him curiously and Ned didn’t say anything.

Late on the afternoon of that day a mystery knight appeared in the lists.

The mystery knight was short of stature, and clad in ill-fitting armor made up of bits and pieces. The device upon his shield was a heart tree of the old gods, a white weirwood with a laughing red face.

The mystery knight dipped his lance before the king and rode to the end of the lists, where the five champions had their pavilions.

He challenged the porcupine knight, the pitchfork knight, and the knight of the twin towers.

The porcupine knight fell first, then the pitchfork knight, and lastly the knight of the two towers. None were well loved, so the common folk cheered lustily for the Knight of the Laughing Tree, as the new champion soon was called. When his fallen foes sought to ransom horse and armor, the Knight of the Laughing Tree spoke in a booming voice through his helm.

“Teach your squires honor” he said “that shall be ransom enough.”

 

Elia rose from her seat, tired.

Ashara seemed excited by the perspective of a mystery knight attending the lists.

“Do you think he’ll win?” Ashara asked the princess.

“He?” Oberyn interrupted “What makes you think that knight was a man?”

Elia turned to her brother.

“You mean it could be a woman?”

“You didn’t see the knight’s face, did you?” Oberyn shrugged his shoulders.

Ashara laughed at his words.

“A woman jousting” she smirked “that would be interesting”

It was then when her eyes met Ned’s.

“My princess, my lord, excuse me for a moment” she said and made a reverence.

She left them and made her way to the place where the Stark was.

He smiled at her, nervously.

She loved that.

 

That night at the great castle, Robert Baratheon and Ser Richard Lonmouth each swore they would unmask him, and the King Aerys himself urged men to challenge him, declaring that the face behind that helm was no friend of his. 

The next morning, when the heralds blew their trumpets and the King took his seat, only two champions appeared. 

The Knight of the Laughing Tree had vanished. 

The King Aerys was wroth, and even sent his son Rhaegar to seek the man.

 

The prince did not understand his father’s wrath but he did as he said and searched for the mystery knight.

He saw the knight on the forest, running away from those who were hunting him.

Rhaegar followed him, and cached him.

“Turn around” he said “remove the helmet”

The knight did as he said and, when the helmet fell to the floor, he almost drooped his sword, surprised.

“My lady” he whispered.

Lyanna looked at him, trying not to feel afraid.

“Your grace” she said.

She didn’t feel wrong with herself, on the contrary, she was proud of what she’d done. She was proud she had taught those squires a lesson. 

They could hear the screams of the other men. They were going to arrive there soon.

“Remove the armor” the prince told her “leave it. Run.”

Lyanna did as he said and left the armor hanging on a tree.

“Thank you” she told Rhaegar and he smiled at her.

Lyanna run back to the castle without looking back.

 

She sat next to Ned and soon after that the tourney started again.

“Are you feeling better today?” her brother asked.

“Yes” she smiled.

Ned embraced her and kissed her cheek.

The Prince of Dragonstone had just defeated Lord Yohn Royce.

Brandon prepared himself to joust against the prince and Lyanna watched Rhaegar carefully.

She was scared.

She had been scared since she had met him in the woods. She was scared that he could say something about The Knight of The Laughing Tree’s identity.

But the prince said nothing and did nothing.

Brandon spurred his horse and Lyanna hold her breath.

Rhaegar’s lance hit Brandon on the chest and he fell to the floor.

Lyanna rose from her seat, worried, and she felt Benjen rising next to her.

Then Brandon stood up, laughing, and smiled at her.

His eyes told her not to worry.

When Brandon went to change himself, Lyanna and Benjen sat back.

The next one to march against the prince was Ser Arthur Dayne.

The Lord of Flowers bet 100 galleons for Ser Arthur Dayne and, to the surprise of many, it was the Lady Ashara Dayne, Ser Arthur's sister, who accepted the bet.

It was Ashara who won the bet, and Rhaegar Targaryen won once more.

Ser Barristan Selmy, with his white armor shining brightly, rode his horse to his position.

There were a lot of bets this time, most of them in favour of Ser Barristan.

The prince was going to lose, Lyanna thought, there was no way he could won.

But he did win and took the Cown of Winter Roses to crown his queen.

Ned would never forget the moment when all the smiles died.

When Prince Rhaegar Targaryen urged his horse past his own wife, the Dornish princess Elia Martell, to lay the queen of beauty’s laurel in Lyanna’s lap. 

He would always remember it: a crown of winter roses, blue as frost.


	7. Engagement

“Elia” he called her again.

She did not stop. She did not answer. 

She was angry with him.

A part of her wanted to kill him, the other part wanted to go back to King’s Landing, take Rhaenys and run away to Dorne. 

But she did not do it.

She was Elia Nymeros Martell, a princess of Dorne, and she will not give anyone the satisfaction of knowing they had made her run away like a coward.

She entered their chamber and Rhaegar followed her and closed the door.

“Do you have any idea of what you have just done to me?!” she screamed.

“It’s not what you think, Elia” he whispered.

She had known a lot of men during her life. 

Men who mistreated their women. Men who lied to their women. Men who cheated on their wives.

But she had never thought that Rhaegar was one of those men.

“You crowned her” she said “You knew that I wanted Oberyn to marry Lyanna and you crowned her!”

“Because she was The Knight of The Laughing Tree!” he interrupted her, desperately.

He had never thought about how his choice would affect Elia. He had wanted to tell her before the tourney but she had been busy with Ashara.

He had crowned Lyanna because he knew that she was the one who truly deserved to win the tourney.

“What?” Elia asked, lowering her voice tone.

“I found her in the woods” he explained, softly “She was the mystery knight. I gave the crown to her because she deserved to win”

Elia did not know what to say. She didn't expect that.

“And why the bloody hell didn't you tell me?” she said after a few minutes.

Rhaegar looked shocked. He had never heard her speak like that before.

“I didn’t think about it” he said, truly “I’m sorry, Elia”

“Don’t be” she whispered, tired.

“But the lords and the ladies” Rhaegar continued “they will think…”

“It doesn’t matter what they think” Elia interrupted “What matters is that I know the truth”

 

Ned tried to stop Robert.

But nothing could stop his best friend’s fury.

“What has she done?” he screamed.

“She is my sister, Robert” Ned reminded him “And you have no right to speak about her like that”

“She is my betrothed, and I’ll speak about her the way I want”

Brandon entered the room like a storm.

He had obviously heard them.

His hands were curled into fists and he clenched his jaw.

“She is nothing to you, you bastard” he screamed “Do you still not understand it? Lyanna will never marry you. She will never be your wife”

Ned had to hold Robert’s arm to stop him from hitting Brandon.

“You don’t love her” Brandon continued “You think of my sister as a trophy, as an object, as something pretty to have and show to your friends so they think that you are better than them. But you will never stop being who you are, a bastard, a womanizer, and my sister doesn’t deserve that. She deserves someone who doesn’t lie to her, someone who protects her” he looked down to Robert as though he was an insect “Someone who is worth her”

This time Ned could not stop Robert.

His friend jump to Brandon and hit him in the face, but the oldest Stark was not going to let the Lord of Storm’s end humiliate him.

By the time Ned manage to separate them, with Benjen’s and Howland’s help, Robert had a black eye and Brandon’s lip was broken.

Ned pushed his friend out of the room.

“Enough!” Ned screamed and Robert, who was still burning in rage, almost jumped, surprised, because he had never seen his friend so angry “Go to your room, calm down. I’ll see you later” 

And he closed the door.

 

“How could he do that?!” 

Oberyn entered the room and slamed the door with the fury of a blizzard.

Elia rose from her sit and turned to face him.

“He shamed you! You are his wife! That bastard! He should have crowned you! I don’t care he is the future king, I’ll cut him to peaces!”

“Oberyn…”

“And he crowned her!” he continued “He could have crowned any other lady! Why the hell did he crowned Lyanna?!”

Elia couldn’t do anything but smile.

“Why are you so angry, brother? Because Rhaegar did not crown me, or because he crowned Lyanna?”

Oberyn held his breath.

Why was he angry?

“You do not wish to marry” Elia continued “but you don’t wish any other man to have her”

“What do you want me to say, Elia? You want me to confess?”

She nodded even if she was not sure about what her brother had to confess.

“You are right, I want her. I want her smile, I want her eyes, I want her strength, I want her wilfulness, and I want her body. Yes, I confess, I want that girl”

She laughed.

“I thought you didn’t want to marry”

“And I do not want to marry” he simply said “But I want her”

Elia told him to sit down and spend the next minutes explaining him why Rhaegar had crowned the Stark girl.

She had never seen her brother like this.

There was something about the way Oberyn spoke about Lyanna that made her smile.

She had never seen Oberyn speak so passionately about anyone.

 

Lyanna was in her room.

She had left the crown on the desk and hadn’t looked at it twice.

She heard Brandon screaming to Robert and what Robert said about her, but she couldn’t care less.

She knew why the prince had given her that crown and she didn’t feel guilty about anything.

Brandon entered her room soon after that.

“I have to tell you something”

Lyanna was lying on the bed and Brandon sat on the floor next to her.

“So?” she smiled “What do you have to tell me?”

Brandon took a deep breath.

She was indeed going to rip him to pieces.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said. About getting powerful alliances” she frowned at his words “and you were right, but above all” he turned his head to face her and took her hand “I want you to be safe and happy”

“Brandon…”

“You are not going to marry Robert Baratheon” he said “I won’t let that stupid have you. He doesn’t deserve you. No one will ever truly deserve you, actually, but arrangements are to be made and I’m only thinking of the best for you”

She clenched her fists.

“If you are suggesting what I think you are suggesting…”

“You will marry Oberyn Martell” he said it quickly, trying to end the conversation as soon as possible “You’ll be a princess of Dorne and he’ll make sure you live happily and without any trouble”

Lyanna didn’t say anything.

She moved on the bed, avoiding his gaze, and Brandon tried to make her look at him.

“Leave me alone” she said.

“Lya…”

“Leave me alone” she repeated.

He nodded and left. 

 

That night, at the feast, Lyanna did not talk to Brandon.

She spent most of the time talking to Catelyn, Lysa and Howland, and danced a few times with Ned and Benjen, but avoided everyone else.

She was sitting on her chair drinking a glass of wine when he approached her.

“May I have this dance, my lady?”

She sighed.

“You may not” 

Oberyn sat next to her and gave her a serious look.

“Do I need to beg you?”

Lyanna turned to face him.

He was wearing a yellow tunic embroidered with bright scarlet suns. When his viper eyes meet her grey ones, she shivered.

She opened her mouth to say something but closed it immediately.

Sorry, but I don’t like the idea of being forced to marry and that’s why I don’t want to be near you, she thought.

“I’m sorry, my lord, but I’m not in the mood to speak to you right now” she said.

“Your brother told you” he guessed.

Lyanna did not answer.

She was concentrated on Ned, who was dancing with Ashara. He seemed happy and it made her smile.

“I do really believe we should talk” 

Robert’s gaze met Lyanna’s and she looked away, disgusted.

“Come” she told Oberyn after a moment of silence.

She sat up and walked out of the room. He followed.


	8. Dangerous liaisons

Oberyn followed Lyanna out of the room and through the corridor.

She was tall for her age but he was still taller than her.

Her curves were not defined yet but Oberyn found out that he was wrong. Lyanna was young, yes, but her body, even if it was not the body of a grown woman, was not the body of a child.

If they had met a couple of years later he would have probably taken her to his bed. Or at least tried, for he knew she was untameable.

She guided him outside, to one of the balconies, and she leaned against the balustrade.

"Elia told me what you did" he told her "You were brave. Not many would have risked themselves to help a crannogman"

"Well, sometimes you've got to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences"

He laughed at that.

"Your brother was right" he told her "You are not like the other ladies”

She smiled.

“I know that you don’t want to marry me” she simply said “and I don’t blame you. If I could choose I’d like to spend the rest of my days in The North or become a Septa so I don’t have to deal with men, but I believe that not even then I’d be free from you”

Lyanna bit her lip. She didn’t mean to say it that way, it just came out.

“I’m sorry” she quickly added “I didn’t want to say it like that”

But, by the way he laughed, she supposed he did not care.

“Don’t worry, my lady” he smirked “But I'm surprised. I didn't know you believed in The Seven”

“I do not. I keep the faith of The North and only pray to The Old Gods” then she turned to face him “And what about you?”

“What about me?” he looked confused.

“Do you believe in the Seven or you keep the faith of the Rhoynar?”

Oberyn shook his head and chuckled.

“I do not really believe in the Gods, my lady” he explained “I don’t think a man’s fate is defined by some Gods desires”

“Lyanna” she whispered.

“Excuse me?”

She smiled.

“Call me Lyanna” she told him.

Oberyn smiled back at her.

“Lyanna” he said and she shivered at the way her name sounded on his lips “If I may ask” he continued “why was Robert so convinced he was going to marry you?”

She snorted.

“You have just ruined the moment” Lyanna spit and then left out a low breath “He has been obsessed with me since forever, and Ned is his best friend, so he thought that he would have my hand in marriage. But it was Brandon who my father appointed for the task of finding me a husband, and Brandon never liked Robert. So here we are” she concluded. 

“I’m glad he did not choose Robert” Oberyn whispered.

“Liar” she said, maybe too quickly “You wouldn't have chosen me if your sister hadn't insisted, would have you?”

“No”

“Now you speak the truth” her voice sounded broken.

“You are intelligent, Lyanna” he told her, and she fixed her grey eyes on his dark ones “And, even if I’m sure that you will grow to be a wild beauty, you are already beautiful. Any man would be proud of marrying you”

“Thank you” she smiled.

“For saying that you are beautiful?” he did not understand.

“For saying that I’m intelligent”

She looked away from him and stared at the stars above them.

Oberyn watched her. 

She was indeed a unique woman. 

A she-wolf, he reminded himself, and found himself hoping that one day he could discover how a she-wolf she was.

 

“Is something disturbing you, my lord?” Catelyn asked, politely and Brandon smiled to her.

“No, my lady, don’t worry”

He continued dancing with her but couldn’t stop glancing towards the door.

Lyanna and Oberyn had been gone for quite a long time.

He spun Catelyn and she fell on Ned’s arms almost at the same time that the Princess Elia fell on Brandon’s.

“You are staring at the door, Lord Brandon” she noticed “It’s creepy”

“Your brother and my sister are missing” he simply replied “I’m worried”

Elia smiled at him.

“Don’t be. Lyanna is completely safe”

She wished she could believe her own words.

Elia knew her brother better than anyone, and she knew that even if he claimed that he didn’t want Lyanna, a viper was always a viper.

Her fears disappeared when she saw them entering the room, laughing.

Oberyn escorted Lyanna back to her table and kissed her hand gently. 

Elia saw Lyanna rolling her eyes, but she did also she how she smiled when Oberyn left.

“See?” the princess told Brandon “She is perfectly fine”

 

Lyanna let her dress fall on the floor and put on her nightgown.

Something had changed that night, she knew it, but she couldn’t tell what it was.

“Sister?” Ned called from outside.

“Come in” she told him.

Ned’s smile was bright and Lyanna smiled back.

“You are happy, brother”

“And so are you, sister”

Lyanna sat on the bad and Ned sat next to her.

“Is he treating you right?” her older brother asked, taking her hand.

Lyanna squeezed his hand affectionately.

“Yes, he’s been kind to me”

“I’m glad” then his face turned serious and Lyanna worried “But if he proves ungallant, If he…If he does anything that makes you feel wrong, come and tell me, and I shall give you his head”

Her eyes were wide open on surprise.

Lyanna had never heard Ned say anything like that before. Normally, Brandon was the one who would say such things, but Ned’s eyes, as grey as hers, told her that he was not joking.

She embraced him and kissed him on the cheek.

Then, she smirked.

“So? Tell me brother, what’s going on between you and Ashara Dayne?”

Ned blushed slightly.

“Eddard Stark! You are blushing like a maiden!”

They both laughed and Ned remembered a time when they were younger, a time when Lyanna would come to his room at night, scared by the white winds howling outside the walls and looking for a safe place next to her brother.

“You like her, don’t you?” his sister asked.

“Yes” Ned confessed “Yes, I like her very much”

“I’m happy for you”

Benjen came in soon after that, looking for Ned, and they left Lyanna alone.

She got into bed and it was not long before she fell asleep, still smiling.


	9. Ours is the fury

Elia and Rhaegar were having dinner in their solar when Oberyn came in.

"Sister" he said, not paying attention to the crown prince "pack your things, you are coming with us to Winterfell"

Rhaegar turned to look at him, surprised.

"Winterfell? I thought you were going to marry on Sunspear"

"As did I" said Elia, placing her fork on her plate.

"Well, I changed my mind" Oberyn explained "Lyanna holds the faith of The Old Gods not the faith of The Seven so I thought she would be more comfortable if we married in Winterfell" he shake his head "As you see, not a big deal"

He turned to leave, not wanting to continue with that conversation, but Elia's voice stopped him when he reached for the door.

"You still don't care about her, do you?" she said ironically.

Oberyn didn't answer, he just left.

 

Everyone was packing when Lyanna woke up. She got out of her room, yawning, and trying to straighten her hair which was tangled.

“We are leaving after dinner” Brandon told her.

“Leaving after dinner?” she asked, surprised, and still half asleep “You are going back to Winterfell so soon?”

Brandon gave the things he carried on his hands to one of the servants.

“We are going back to Winterfell” he explained “Oberyn thought that you’d be happier if you married there”

She tried not to smile and went back to her room to get ready. When she manage to braid her hair and made sure that the ties of her green dress were properly tied, Lyanna turned to one of her handmaidens.

“Make sure my things are packed for dinner”

The halls of Harrenhal were full of people, most of them servants, who run up and down, getting everything ready for their lords departure. After all, the tourney was over, and the lords and ladies had to go back to their lands and their duties. 

Lyanna went out the castle and to the stables.

She hadn’t had the time to see Winter in all those days, too busy with all the crazy changes that were going on in her life.

When she went inside the stables she regretted it instantly.

Robert was on the far side of the stables.

She didn’t even look at him and when directly to where Winter was. Her horse welcomed her happily. Lyanna stroke Winter’s hair smiling. 

“We are going to leave soon” she told her horse.

She had been so focused on Winter that she hadn’t heard him approaching her but she almost jumped when he said:

“Do you love him?” 

Lyanna moved away and looked at him.

“That is none of your business, my lord” she answered, and tried to leave.

Robert took her arm and turned her around, making her face him.

“Answer” he commanded.

“No” she said and pushed him to break free from his grip “but I do not love you either”

Robert looked inside her grey eyes and touched her cheek.

“But I do love you, Lyanna. I love you…”

“No, Robert, you don’t love me, you don’t love anyone, you don’t know how to”

Robert held her wrists and pushed her against one of the walls of the stables. She tried to break free but he was stronger than her.

“Robert, you are hurting me!” she screamed.

He didn’t seem to listen to her. He looked completely out of his mind, blinded by his anger.

“Don’t you understand it, Lya? Don’t you see how much I love you? Don’t you see how lost I am without you?”

Lyanna could feel his hot breath on her face. She moved, desperate, and kicked him between the legs. Robert felt down on the floor.

She took advantage of it and tried to run away but he held her foot and made her fall.

“Leave me alone!” she screamed while he dragged her back to him.

Robert’s face had transformed and Lyanna almost panicked, finally understanding the motto of House Baratheon.

He had immobilized her legs with his and hold her hands at both sides of her body with such a strength that Lyanna was sure it would leave her bruises.

“You are mine” she heard him saying while his hands reached under her dress “You are never going to be his, you are mine…”

She steeled herself and spat in his face. Robert's slap came almost immediately, and Lyanna tasted blood in her mouth. She closed her eyes strongly and waited for his wrath, but it never came.

When she dared to open her eyes she saw Robert lying almost 5 metres away from where she was. When he tried to stand up, Oberyn hit him again and made him fall.

For a moment, Lyanna didn’t know what was going on, the only thing she knew for sure is that, and by the way Oberyn was hitting Robert, he was going to kill him.

“Nephew!” someone scream then.

When she turned back to the door she saw Ser Lewyn coming in, followed by Ned. Her brother threw himself to the floor and embraced her.

“Are you hurt?” he asked and took her chin to look at her broken lip.

“No” Lyanna whispered “No, I’m fine”

While Ned helped Lyanna, Ser Lewyn managed to separate Oberyn and Robert.

The Red Viper turned to look at Lyanna, to make sure she was alright, and she smiled weakly at him, wanting to thank him for saving her.

Her brother kissed her cheek and let go of her hand for a moment, to move to where Robert was.

Ned looked down at Robert, who was still lying on the floor, and even if his eyes were full of rage, there was disappointment on his voice when he said: 

“How could you?”

It looked like Robert, whose face was completely covered in blood, wanted to speak but Ned didn’t gave him the chance. He turned around and placed his gaze on his sister, who was still standing behind him and whose eyes were fixed on The Red Viper.

“Thank you” she told the prince and left before any of them could say anything. 

Ned nodded in Oberyn’s direction and followed her.

He placed his arm around her shoulders and held her close to him.

"I'm sorry" he whispered and kissed her hair "I'm so sorry, Lya"

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Ned" she replied "It was not your fault"

"But you..."

"I'm fine, Eddard" she cut him off, and even if there were tears on her eyes, she smiled at him.


	10. Closer

After making sure that Brandon didn’t go to kill Robert and letting Benjen and Holland help her with her broken lip, she send the boys away and locked herself on her room. Lyanna ripped the dress from her body, feeling ashamed and dirty, and threw it to the fireplace, letting it burn. Her braid was almost undone and there were bruises on her wrists. She took a gown of pale blue samite with sleeves of Myrish lace from one of the caskets and let her hair fell loose down her back.

She had dinner with Brandon, Ned, Benjen, Catelyn, Lysa and Howland. The Tully girls were going back to Riverrun that afternoon and Brandon had politely decided to invite them to spend some time at their solar before leaving to Winterfell.

Lysa was telling them a story about a charming friend from the Riverlands, even if Lyanna didn’t hear the name of the boy because she was not paying enough attention, when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in” Brandon said.

Oberyn opened the door and came into the room.

“My lords, my ladies” he said and then turned to Lyanna “May I have a word?”

“Sure” she whispered and got up.

She could hear Lysa laughing and telling her sister something about wanting to have a snake on her mouth and Lyanna tried not to think what she meant with that. Catelyn answered by saying that no lady should have those kind of thoughts and Benjen laughed.

Lyanna passed next to Oberyn and led him outside the solar.

They stopped on the middle of the corridor and she turned to face him.

“What do you want to talk about?” she asked “We are going to be together for more than a month while travelling to Winterfell. What is so important that you can’t wait?”

“Always so annoyingly direct, aren’t you?” he smirked, he was not complaining, that was, after all, one of the characteristics that they shared “I want to know how you are” 

Lyanna’s smile faded away. She didn’t want to remember what had almost happen to her that morning. She wanted to forget about it as soon as possible.

“I’m safe” she answered “thanks to you”

Oberyn sacked his head.

“It was your brother who heard you” he explained “Ned, Lewyn and I were talking about Sunspear and The Water Gardens when your brother said he had heard you screaming. Truth be told I didn’t heard anything until we were outside the stables, but I’m glad I arrived in time”

Lyanna played with her sleeves, feeling completely uncomfortable. A part of her wanted to change subject but the other part of her wanted to know something and was curious about his answer. Her curiosity won.

“What’d have you done?” she whispered but then her tone became firmer “What’d have you done if Robert had raped me?"

“You mean after poisoning him so he could die a horrible dead?”

Lyanna was about to tell him that she was not joking when she realized that he was not joking either.

“Yes” she said “after that”

“I would have married you” he answered simply, shaking his shoulders.

“But I would have been ashamed” she replied “I…”

He placed his finger on her lips to make her shut up and smiled. 

“So what? Would you still be the fiercer girl I’d ever met? Yes. Would you still be the most annoyingly direct? Yes” 

Lyanna gave a step back, away from his touch, uncertain of what to do, but Oberyn didn’t seem to notice because he continued talking.

“Contrary to popular opinion I don’t blame woman for being raped, I blame men for not respecting them enough not to rape them”

It was then when Lyanna realized that she was staring at him. And she found herself thinking how it would be to kiss him. It was not right to think those kind of things, it was not ladylike, but then again, they were going to marry, were they not? It would happen eventually. 

“Oberyn”

He widely opened his eyes, almost surprised, because it was the first time since they have met that she had called him by his name.

“Yes, my lady?”

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.

“Kiss me” she commanded.

“As you wish, my lady”

He took her face gently between his hands and leaned to kiss her. Lyanna closed her eyes, not sure about what to do, and tried not to shake when she felt his lips on hers.

It ended almost too quickly.

When they separated he looked at her as thought he was waiting for her to slap him, even though he smiled.

She smiled back at him and then stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again. Lyanna shivered in fear when she felt his hand on her lower back, dragging her to him, but it felt so good that she it didn't took long for her to calm down. Her hand went to his neck before she could even notice but then someone coughed.

Elia and Ashara were standing in the middle of the corridor. The princess was trying not to laugh and Ashara pretend not to look.

“Sister, Ashara” Oberyn greeted them, containing a smile. 

“Brother” Elia smiled “Would you let go of the lady Lyanna, please? We need to talk to her about the journey to The North”

Lyanna blushed and it was then when she noticed that his hand was still around her waist. 

Oberyn smiled, let go of her and took her hand to kiss it gently. 

“What can I do for you, You Grace?” Lyanna asked, making her voice sound strong even if she was shaking and afraid that her legs would not hold her for long.

“Ashara and I need some coats for the cold winds of The North and we were wondering if you could provide them” Elia smiled and then spoke louder to make sure that her brother, that was almost at the end of the corridor, away from them, heard it “And, please, call me Elia, we are going to be family soon after all, are we not?”


	11. Winterfell

She was running through a green forest as fast as she could. The screams were loud and hurt her ears but she followed them anyways. The winds were too strong and even if she was making her best to get to the source of the screams she could not. By the time she managed to arrive there it was too late. The wolf was already burned between the powerful red flames that reached for the sky and threatened to burn her to. Somewhere behind the mountains the sun had set long ago and the She-Wolf looked up and howled to the blue moon, broken in pain.

Lyanna woke up covered in sweat and tried to breathe slowly. A dream, it had only been a stupid dream, the why was she so scared?

“Lyanna? Are you alright?”

She tried to calm down and pulled her hair back, so it did not fell on her face.

Maege Mormont, who had been waiting for them in The Twins and had felt relieved for their arrival because she had felt harassed by old Lord Walder Frey, was lying not too far from where Lyanna was. They have been sharing Lyanna’s tent for the past weeks of travel and the wolf maid couldn’t be any happier. Both girls had been friends since they were young and Lyanna loved the fact that Maege did truly understand her and would never stop her from do it anything unladylike, on the contrary, she would encourage her. 

“I’m fine, Maege” she answered and lied back down “It was just a nightmare”

The young lady laughed.

“Nightmares are never just nightmares, Lya. They mean something” Maege said.

The Stark girl already knew that. Old Nan had once told Benjen and Lyanna a story about the truth that was hidden in dreams. Our secrets desires and our worst fears, she’d said, come out when we dream, for in the world of dreams, everything is possible.

“Let’s go back to sleep, shall we?” Lyanna replied “We have a long journey tomorrow”

Hours later, Maege was completely asleep but Lyanna could not sleep. See stood up and went out of the tent. The night was dark and a crescent moon shined above her head. There were not many people out there, just the wards. 

It was then when she saw her brother.

Benjen was sitting out of his tent and he seemed to be playing with a piece of wood. When she walked near him she saw that he was shaping the piece of wood with a knife to make it look like a wolf.

“Lya” he smiled at her and left the knife aside “You should go to sleep”

“As should you, little brother” she smiled back and sat in front of him, making sure her coat didn’t fall for the winds of the night were cold.

“Tomorrow we’ll be at Winterfell” Benjen said and looked at her “Are you nervous?”

“Nervous? Why should I be nervous?”

Benjen frowned.

“Your wedding”

And with those two words the smile face from Lyanna’s face. She had not think about that.

After the moment that Oberyn and her had shared at Harrenhal Lyanna did not know what to think. The truth was that, even if she had spent a lot of time with her brothers, with Holland and Maege, with Ashara, Elia and the little Nym during the journey, Oberyn had not even tried to approach her at any time. The last time he had talked to her had been while they crossed one of the swamps of The Neck and he had asked her about the monsters that lied on those waters. Her betrothed had seemed more interested in riding with Brandon, talking to Ned, playing cards with young Renly Baratheon, who was going to assist to the wedding in the name of his older brother, and spending his afternoons laughing and chatting with his sister Elia.

“Yes, of course” she said “I’d almost forgotten”

Benjen changed the topic quickly and they spent some more time talking and laughing before they both went back to bed.

 

Ashara rode next to Elia in silence. The princess looked tired and her friend knew that, even though it was almost midday and they had been riding since sunrise, it was not just because of the long journey.

The princess turned to look at her and smiled.

“What’s troubling you, Ashara?” she asked.

“I think you should tell someone” she answered, honestly.

Elia rolled her eyes.

“I told my brother two days ago” 

“That’s not what I meant” Ashara replied.

“I know” of course, she knew “but I can’t tell him yet”

“Rhaegar needs to know that…” she couldn’t finish the sentence because her brother, Arthur, moved his horse and placed it next to her.

Elia looked away from Ashara, trying not to think about how right her friend was. She had to tell her husband soon, she would start showing anytime, after all.

It was then when she saw Oberyn and Ned, ridding side by side, and talking lively. She was going to place herself next to them when Benjen’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Lya!” the youngest Stark screamed to her sister, who was quite far away from him “We are almost there! Do you want to bite the dust?”

The Stark girl laughed.

“Go ahead!” she screamed back to him.

Benjen spurred his horse and Lyanna did the same. Even though the young lady was far away from her brother it was not long before her horse passed Benjen’s.

“We are almost home” Brandon screamed to Ned, and his younger brother smiled. 

Elia could see the tall towers of Winterfell from there. There were direwolf flags everywhere. 

“The Starks are mad” Ashara joked, watching how Brandon raced to reach the castle sooner.

The princess smiled at her.

Lord Rickard was on the courtyard waiting for them, with her smiley daughter next to him.

The winds of The North seemed to have changed Lyanna. She was different now, more free and wild and fierce.

Elia smirked to herself. This is going to be an unforgettable wedding, she thought.


	12. Claws and fangs

“I’m not going to wear this!”

Ned put his hands to his head in despair. They had been all the morning at Lyanna’s chamber, helping her to choose the dress and the hairstyle she’d wear at the wedding. He hadn’t wanted to be there at first, but Ashara had convinced him.

“You look stunning” said the purple eyed lady.

The dress was white and made Lyanna look as innocent as the Maiden. It was made at the most pure Dornish style but it suited Lyanna on a magnificent way. 

“The Lady Ashara is right, Lya” Ned said “You do look ravishing”

“I don’t. I look like a whore”

Elia stood up and took Lyanna’s hair between her fingers to comb it on a bun. She smiled at her.

“You have never seen a whore, have you?” she laughed” You are beautiful” 

“Beautiful enough to please a Red Viper?”

“Beautiful enough to tame a Red Viper” Ashara smirked with a mischievous glitter on her eyes.

Ned tried not to think what she meant but decided that he did not want to know where that conversation was heading.

“My ladies” he bowed “I’ll see you all later” 

Ashara watched him carefully as he left.

“Your brother blushes like a little maiden” she told Lyanna.

The Stark girl laughed and turned to the dressmaker “You can leave now” 

The woman did as she said and left.

Elia felt dizzy and had to sit in the bed not to fall on the floor, gladly, Lyanna was too busy undressing and taking another dress from her wardrobe to notice.  
She is indeed beautiful, Elia thought, but pale, ¿will Oberyn like her anyway?

“I will get you some jewels to wear at the weeding” Ashara told Lyanna “A beautiful silver necklace with moonstones to match your eyes, maybe”

 

When Lyanna, finally, managed to escape from the princess, the lady Ashara and all those beautiful dresses and hairstyles, she decided to go outside.

She was looking for Benjen when she saw Oberyn and Rhaegar. She watched them as they spoke and something told her that they didn’t really like each other. Rhaegar left then and Lyanna saw Oberyn entering the castle. She went after him.

“My lord” she called him, following him through one of the corridors but he did not stop, even if she was pretty sure he had heard her “Oberyn!” she had to run a little because he did not stop. Was he ignoring her? Lyanna clenched her fists “OBERYN NYMEROS MARTELL DON’T YOU DARE TO IGNORE ME!”

He stopped and turned to look at her. His dark eyes met her grey ones and he frowned.

“I’m not ignoring you, my lady” he simply said.

She approached him, surprise painted on her face.

“No?” she tried not to laugh “You have barely talked to me since Harrenhal and now I come to talk to you and you run away from me! I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of ignoring someone!”

She expected him to yell back at her, to get angry, to say that she was being childish and stupid, instead of that, he smiled.

“Just because we are getting married doesn’t mean I have to be with you every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year of the rest of our lives”

His answer made her even angrier. She gritted his teeth and punched him on the arm.

“I didn’t mean that!” she pushed him “But we are getting married! You should at least stop pretending that I don’t exist, you insufferable man!” 

“If I am insufferable why are you marring me, you crazy woman?” he screamed.

A couple of servants that were going to go pass through that corridor to go to the kitchen stopped when they saw them, more scare tan concerned, and left, whispering about how a horrible couple they would be.

“Maybe I should not marry you! Maybe I should go to my father to tell him to end this betrothal! Maybe I should marry Jaime Lannister! Or maybe I should go back to Robert Baratheon and…”

She never finished the sentence because he held her by the arm and pressed his lips against hers, almost furiously. Instead of pushing him away, Lyanna tangled her fingers on his hair. Something took over her, her woolfblood, probably, and she answered to the kiss eagerly. He introduced his tongue on her mouth and they fought for dominance, but then she pulled away and pushed him off her.

“You stupid! I was trying to be mad at you!”

He smirked.

“Then be mad at me, but remember that we are marrying tomorrow, it would not be ladylike to be mad at your future husband”

He left and Lyanna stood there, even more confused than she was at the beginning. She touched her lips softly. Maybe being sold to The Red Viper of Dorne was not as insane or as bad as she had thought at first.

 

Barbrey Ryswell arrived that afternoon. Lyanna and the younger daughter of Lord Rodrik Ryswell had never been friends, but Barbrey had spent a lot of time with Brandon while he was at Barrowton. The girl had always been in love with Lyanna’s older brother and the Stark girl had felt pity for her at first, for she knew that Brandon did not love her at all, but then, after seeing how selfish and unpleasant the girl was she had come to hate her.

“Barbrey” she crossed the courtyard to greet her “It’s a pleasure to have you here”

“My lady” Barbrey smiled “I’ve heard that you are marring a Dornishman” she laughed and turned to look at those who were there to welcome her and her men. She smiled at Brandon and he smiled back at her. Then she laid eyes on the prince and smirked at Lyanna “Is that him?”

Lyanna smiled back, even if a part of her wanted to punch Barbery.

“Yes, that’s him” 

“He’s a pretty handsome lord” she licked her lips and Lyanna saw clearly how she smiled at him.

“Prince, actually” Lyanna said, her blood boiling “Oberyn is a prince of Dorne, and I’ll soon be his princess, can you imagine it?”

The smile had faded from Barbrey’s lips and Lyanna knew why. The girl had wanted to thrive in life and to do so she had went after Brandon, who would, after Rickard’s death, be Lord of Winterfell and Guardian of The North, but she had not succeed and Brandon would soon marry Catelyn Tully. The Ryswell girl would probably end up marrying one of Rickard’s bannermen.

Lyanna walked away from her and when she passed next to Brandon she whispered to him:

“Make sure you keep your little toy occupied”

Brandon laughed loudly but didn’t answer. 

Lyanna went directly to Ashara’s chambers, who were next to the princess’ chambers just in case Elia needed her help, and knocked.

“Come in” 

The Stark girl went in with a shy smile and Ashara greeted her with an embrace. She could be my sister soon, Lyanna thought, and discovered that she would love that.  
“I was wondering if you could show me those jewels you said you’d let me for the wedding”

“Of course!” she looked happy “Let’s make sure you leave Oberyn astounded”


	13. Taking the she-wolf to bride (part.1)

Nymeria ran out of her room and crossed the corridor to stop at his father’s chambers door. She was wearing an orange dress and Ashara had braided her hair back and decorated it with a golden sun. She knocked at the door and one of her father’s servants opened it. She went in smiling.

“Here’s my princess” her father laughed and took her on his arms “You are beautiful”

“Aunt Elia says that I have to behave like a proper lady today” she told him “She says that it’s a very important day and that I have to be polite to everyone”

Oberyn kissed her daughter’s cheek “Aunt Elia is right” he told her “Why don’t you go to see her before the wedding?”

She nodded and he let her on the floor. Before she left she turned around.

“Lyanna’s dress is very pretty” she told him and left, laughing.

Oberyn shook his head and smiled. He stared at himself in the mirror and let out a breath. He was wearing a white tunic decorated with golden suns and a viper ring was decorating the middle finger of his left hand. His golden cloak was emblazoned with the sigil of House Martell and hung from his shoulders. 

He had to sit on the bed for a moment, trying to organise his ideas. It was happening. He was going to marry. He placed his head between his hands and took a deep breath. It was not until then that he realized his hands were shaking.

“My hands never shake” he whispered to himself.

He thought about how he had laughed of Elia the day of her wedding, even if his sister marriage was not funny for him at all, and could not help but smirk at the thought of how stupid he felt.

 

Ashara was stunning and Lyanna could not stop staring at her while she helped her getting ready. She was, by far, the most beautiful woman Lyanna had ever seen, even more beautiful than Princess Elia. She promised herself that she would make Ned confess his feelings for the dornish lady.

“May I come in?” her father asked from the door.

Ashara and Maege turned to look at him.

“Of course, my lord” Maege answered and both Ashara and her left the room, not before kissing Lyanna and telling her that everything was going to be perfect.

Lord Rickard Stark had been preparing for that moment his whole life and yet, he was not ready. Not just because he didn’t want his little girl to leave but because of the promise he had made to Lyarra the day she had died.

Take care of them, she had whispered, make sure they are happy. Promise me, my love, promise me that you’ll make sure they are happy.

He had given her his word, of course, and he had spent the rest of his days living up to that promise.

To think of his wife made him sad. He had tried not to think about her all those years but at that moment, looking at his daughter, he could not stop remembering his dead wife and how much he had loved her.

“You are as beautiful as your mother” he told Lyanna “and I know she is watching as right know and smiling. I know she is as proud of you as I am”

His daughter moved forward and hugged him.

“Don’t let me fall” she said, afraid of tripping on her way to the altar.

“I won’t” Rickard promised and Lyanna took his arm.

 

There was not a Sept in Winterfell so the main hall of the castle had been prepared for the event.

Brandon moved impatiently on his seat and accidentally hit Ned, who was sitting at his left.

“Can you stop, please?” Ned said, looking at him with severity “Just, calm down, it’s not you who’s getting married, Bran”

The oldest Stark frowned and didn’t pay attention to his brother.

Next to Ned, Benjen seemed to be enjoying little Renly’s company and did not look concerned about the wedding. Brandon’s eyes met Elia’s and the princess smiled. She looked so calm that Brandon thought he was going to explode. He should have never agreed to this wedding, his sister was still a little girl!

When the doors opened and Lyanna entered holding their father’s arm, Brandon’s heart stopped. Lyanna was wearing a white dress that was definitely not made for the cold weather of The North; it had long sleeves and silver thread embroidery. Her hair was on a bun and she wore a silver necklace decorated with moonstones. From her shoulders hanged a grey coat, decorated with the direwolf of House Stark. The oldest Stark saw clearly how his sister’s hold on Lord Rickard’s arm tightened as they approached the Septon and the man that would soon become her husband.

Lyanna’s eyes met Brandon’s and she smiled and nodded at him, trying to tell him that she was fine, that everything was alright. But, in her eyes, behind all her confidence and her strength, he could glimpse a slight of fear.

When they reached her betrothed, Rickard seemed to hesitate and gave Oberyn a looked that would have made any other man tremble in fear. A warning of what would happen to him if Lyanna was hurt. Oberyn nodded at Lord Stark, understanding the meaning of his glare. He knew that Rickard Stark, unlike his eldest son, was not a hot-tempered man, but he did also knew that he would kill him if he harmed his only daughter.

"You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection" the Septon said.

Oberyn took the cloak from Lyanna’s shoulders, giving it to Lord Rickard, and cloaked her with his own. He saw her closing her eyes, just for a moment, when he took her hand.

"My Lords, my Ladies, we stand here in sight of Gods and men to witness the union of man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul" the Septon took a strip of simple white cloth and wrapped it around their hands, as a symbol of their union "In the sight of the Seven, the Old Gods and the Gods of The Rhoynar, I seal these two souls, binding them as one, from this day, until the end of days. Look upon each other and say the words"

Lyanna tried not to let her façade fall while she turned to look at his dark eyes.

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger" they said together.

"I am his,"

"I am hers,"

"And he is mine,"

"And she is mine,"

"From this day, until the end of my days"

Oberyn leaned to kiss her gently on the lips and Lyanna closed he eyes, but he pulled apart too quickly.

The Septon rose his voice and said “What the Gods have joined together, let no man put asunder” and with that, it was over.

Lyanna he drew a low breath as they turned to face the crowd. She was not Lady Lyanna Stark anymore, she realized suddenly, from that day and until the end of her days, she was Princess Lyanna Martell.

 

The great hall was warm and full of life. The Lords and Ladies were talking, eating and drinking. There was music and dancing and the northerners made sure that the southerners understood that they were no longer in the South. The spoke very loud as they always did and Lyanna saw Maege Mormont winning a drinking contest against Lord Bolton’s eldest son.

“Your brother is dancing with Ashara again” Oberyn told her, suddenly, leaning on his chair to be closer to her.

Lyanna looked at them, smiling.

“He likes her” she confessed him.

“She likes him” he replied.

Lyanna turned to look at him only to find his face rather too close to hers. She cleared her throat, and played with the sleeves of her dress.

“She told you?”

Oberyn smirked.

“She told Elia”

Of course she did, Lyanna thought, and no doubt your sister told you. Oberyn and Elia reminded the young lady of Ned and herself sometimes, and she could not help but smile. It was then when her brother approached her.

“May I have this dance?” he politely asked, smiling at her.

Lyanna took Brandon’s hand, laughing, and he leaded her to the dance floor. When they started moving at the sound of the music, she rested her head against her brother’s shoulder.

“I’m going to miss you when you leave” he confessed, almost whispering and she dug her nails on his shoulder.

“You can always come to visit” she said “Maybe you could spend some time at Sunspear with us”

Brandon smiled and kissed her hair.

“I’d love that”

“Come on” Benjen approached them, laughing “this is a wedding, not a funeral, brother, and you are going to make her cry”

Lyanna let go of Brandon to smile at Benjen. Her little brother bowed, and offered her his hand.

“May I have the honour of dancing with this beautiful princess?”

Brandon left them and went to dance with Barbery, who demanded his attention constantly.

“I’m not a princess” Lyanna replied while they danced.

“Technically” Benjen said “you are, from now on. You are Princess Lyanna Martell of House Stark”

“It doesn’t sound that bad, does it?” she joined his laugh and she felt like a child again. It was almost as if they would go to fight with sticks just after the feast, and then go climbing the tallest towers of Winterfell with only the light of the torches to lead their way.

They danced for another couple of minutes and then the song ended and Lyanna found a chance to go back to her seat.

Oberyn was still sitting on his chair, with Nymeria sitting on his lap and Lyanna was going to ask them what they were talking about when she heard William Dustin screaming "I believe it's time for the bedding ceremony!" and she froze on her seat.


	14. Taking the she-wolf to bride (part.2)

For a second the room was silent and then Brandon moved. He gave his wine cup to Barbery and moved towards William.

“There are no bedding ceremonies in The North” he said with a cold tone “you know that”

“But my lady has married a southerner” William replied.

For a moment, it looked like Brandon was going to fight him, but Elia stood up and smiled at them.

“She is your princess now, and she has married a dornishman, not a southerner” she smiled at Lyanna “I will escort my sister-in-law to her chambers myself”  
Lyanna stood up and took Elia’s hand without even blinking. She tried not to look at anyone while they left the room and let out a breath when they were out. The princess squished her hand and smiled at her.

“You don’t have to worry”

“I’m not worried” Lyanna replied, quickly, but her hands were sacking.

Elia tried not to laugh. It was normal, after all, for her to be afraid, because she knew for experience that even the bravest women were nervous the first time they shared their bed with a man.

When they arrived at Lyanna’s chambers, Elia helped her untying the laces of her gown and the wolf girl put on a nightgown. She turned to look at Elia and the princess could see a glimpse of determination on her grey eyes.

“I’ll see you tomorrow” she promised her and gave her a smile.

Lyanna smiled back and Elia left the room.

While crossing the corridors of Winterfell the princess could easily hear the northerners singing and talking on the main hall. She could understand why they had the need to scream instead of talking.

Her brother tried to pass next to her when they met in the middle of the corridor but Elia stopped him by holding his arm. Oberyn’s eyes were as dark as hers.

“Be kind to her" to any other person Elia’s words would have seemed like a petition, but Oberyn knew they were and order.

Oberyn said nothing. He kissed her on the cheek and then he headed for Lyanna’s chamber. 

Lyanna was sitting on the edge of the bed when he came in and watched him while he sat on one of the chairs to take his boots off. He had to contain a smile for she was looking at him as a wolf would look his prey, even if, at that moment, he was definitely not her prey.

“You know that we have to consummate this marriage, right?” he asked.

She stood up to face him and smiled.

“Are you going to rip my dress and throw me on the bed?”

He stood up too and took off his tunic, leaving it on the chair, before placing his gaze on her again.

“Do I look like bloody Robert Baratheon to you, dear?”

Before Lyanna could say anything he moved his arm to place it around her waist to held her closer and used that moment of surprise to kiss her lips, it was not long until she answered, tangling her hands on his hair, pulling him even closer. Oberyn grabbed Lyanna, which made her laugh, both surprised and a little scared, and laid her on the bed. He carefully laid on top of her and started kissing her again, first her lips and then he went down to her neck. When he kissed her collarbone, and even if Lyanna was fighting against the wanting she felt inside of her, she moaned in pleasure. Oberyn smiled against her skin. It was true that, more than once, he had said that he didn't wanted to have her, but watching her now, shivering at his touch, made him feel happy, even if he could not explain why. 

He pulled away to look at her, to make sure she wanted him to continue and he was surprised when she dragged him back to her, pulled him closer and kissed him wildly. My little wolf, he thought. He let out a loud groan when Lyanna bit his lip and he looked at her, only to find challenge on her grey eyes. 

He kissed her collarbone without moving his gaze from her face, examining every one of her moves and reactions. He went down from her collarbone to her chest and stopped at the neckline of Lyanna's nightgown, looking up at her. 

She smiled.

He helped her sit up and kissed her lips, while he untied her nightgown, letting the dress fall down her breasts. He then laid her back. Oberyn saw, just for a fraction of second, how her arm tried to move to cover her chest, and he couldn't stop smirking to himself at the fact that she didn't let her fears control her. 

He bent down and he kissed her again. Lyanna's fingers tangled his hair when he went down to her breasts and let small kisses on them. Her eyes fell shut and her mouth opened in pleasure even if she made no sound. When he leaned down to capture one of her nipples in his mouth, at first sucking and then taking it between his teeth she moaned loudly, and her hips pressed against him instinctively. She pulled him up by his hair and kissed him again. When they pulled away and looked at each other, Lyanna started pulling his shirt. He smirked and took it off, throwing it somewhere in the room. 

He gave her a moment to stare at him, without taking his eyes away from her. At that moment, with her fingers trailing a scar that covered half of his torso and the little ones he had on his arms, she looked more like a curious cat than like a she-wolf. 

He slowly removed her nightgown completely and then he stood up and started removing his belt, her eyes never leaving his, until he took his pants of and got fully naked, at that moment Lyanna moved her gaze away from him and stared at the blankets, blushing. 

He went back to her and, before she could say or do anything, he captured her lips between his and laid himself on top of her again, his hands firmly placed at her hips. He felt her stiffen when she felt his manhood against the inner part of her leg. Oberyn kissed her softly in the lips, trying to make her relax, and then started kissing down her body and stopped at her stomach, leaving a long trail of kisses. When she felt his hand on her sex, she groaned. He started caressing it, and then slowly introduced one finger on her, making her moan. Lyanna bucked her hips up. 

A long time had passed since he had bedded a maiden and he had almost forgotten how it was to be the one making all the work. But, in some way, he felt proud to be the first one to be with her. He felt proud to know he'd be the only one to be with her from then on. 

His thumb found the little point of pleasure and a moan was torn from between her lips, her hips arching instinctively to his touch. He smiled as he slid a second finger into her. She suddenly let out a sharp cry, her inner walls tightening around his fingers, pleasure written clearly on her face. Oberyn smirked while he watched her bit her lower lip, completely dominated by pleasure. 

He started kissing up her body until he arrived to her lips, kissing them passionately. She answered with hunger and dragged her nails on his back. He slowly pushed himself inside of her, and her factions changed for a second, twisted in pain. He waited until her breathing evened out before he began to move. His movements were slow and as gentle as they could be. Oberyn smiled when she tightened her legs around his hips and slowly started moving them in sync with his. After a while he increased his pace and her hands went to his back, scratching it. He didn't complain, instead, he crashed his lips against hers, wildly, his tongue fighting for dominance with hers.

Then she started breathing more and more heavily and her lips went to his neck, biting and sucking, leaving marks that would surely be there for a while. He groaned at the feel of her. 

"My she-wolf" he growled in her ear and he felt her smile.

"Oberyn..." her voice was a broken sob, almost a plea, but he understood. She came a moment later, pressing against him, shaking, shattering and howling of pleasure. He hissed with her a second later, arching his back and spilling his seed deep inside her.

Oberyn let himself fall next to her and covered both of their bodies with a blanket. He took a moment to make his breathing constant again, aware of his wife's eyes, which were fixed on him. Lyanna trailed all of his scars with her fingers, distracted, but it was not long before she closed her eyes and fell asleep, exhausted. 

Oberyn watched her for a while before falling asleep too.


	15. The iron underneath

She was running through the forest again and the screams were so loud she could not hear anything else. By the time she found the wolf it was too late, he was dead. When she howled to the sky the blue moon turned into a bright dying sun.

“Lyanna” someone called “Lyanna”

She woke up screaming and covered in sweat. Oberyn was by her side, completely dressed, and looked genuinely worried.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes” she whispered, still confused “It was just a nightmare”

He looked relieved and stood up to make his way to the door. 

“I’m going ridding with Brandon” he explained “and I think Ned is going to come and have breakfast with you”

“You’ve talked to my brothers?”

“Yes” he replied “and I’ve told the maids to prepare you a bath” he left without saying anything else and Lyanna didn’t move for a while.

She was so distracted by her nightmare that she had almost forgotten what had happened the previous night but, when she suddenly remembered, she blushed, feeling shy suddenly, even though Oberyn, her husband she reminded herself, was not even in the room. Trying not to think about it, she stood up, maybe too quickly, and she felt a sharpening pain between her legs, so she sat down on the bed again. 

It did not take long before the servants came to prepare her bath and, after Lyanna had dismissed them, she let the warm water fill her completely. She spent quite a lot amount of time inside the tub thinking about how her life would be in Dorne. And then, with her hand placed on her belly, she wondered if she was already pregnant. She hoped not.

Lyanna had just finished getting dressed when someone knocked the door.

"May I come in?" she heard Ned saying.

"Of course" she answered.

Ned came in with a plate on his hands and a smile on his face. The plate was covered with a blue cloth so Lyanna could not see what was in it. Her brother left the plate on the table and, when Lyanna tried to reach it, Ned stop her by taking her hand. 

"Are you alright?" he asked, genuinely worried "Was he good to you?"

Lyanna felt her cheeks turning red and smiled to her brother.

"He was… more than gentle" she felt uncomfortable talking about her wedding night with Ned, so she decided to change the topic "What's that?" she demanded, pointing the plate with her free hand.

"That, dearest sister, it's a little gift" he uncovered it and Lyanna had to contain a scream of surprise.

"Lemon cakes!" she said, laughing, and embraced him "How did you manage to acquire them"

It was very difficult to have lemon cakes in the North because they could not grow on such harsh circumstances and the last time she had eaten lemon cakes had been when Lord Hoster Tully had traveled to Winterfell to discuss Catelyn’s wedding with Rickard. Her father had asked the southerner to bring lemon cakes to their home as a gift for Lyanna.

"Let's say that I have some dornish acquaintances that have friends at Lemonwood"

Lyanna did not have to ask who his dornish friend was. She took one of the cakes and smirked at him.

“Will you ask for her hand?”

Sometimes Eddard was astounded by her sister’s quick wit and sharp tongue; even if he knew better than anyone that Lyanna was no common lady.

“I don’t think Ashara Dayne is the kind of girl whose hand you ask” he replied “Anyways, I’m sure you have by now figured out which father’s intentions are, and he already has you in Sunspear, why would he want me in Starfall?”

Lyanna had known her father’s intentions for a long time, as she had told Brandon in Harrehal, but she didn’t tell Ned. She understood what her brother’s words implied in the moment he pronounced them and started making a plan on her mind. She had to make her father change her mind, even if she knew that it was almost an impossible task. 

“Father will do what’s best for you” she replied in the end, and took another lemon cake.

 

Oberyn stopped his stallion in order to let Brandon ride past him for he knew the oldest Stark brother would not taka defeat kindly, but, to his surprise, Brandon stopped soon after that and, while Oberyn approached him, he yelled:

“What’s wrong, prince? Too tired to even be a challenge?” 

It was an obvious reference to what he had been doing the night before and The Red Viper knew perfectly that Brandon was teasing him, trying to remind him it was his sister he had married, but Oberyn was more than tired of extra-protective brothers. 

“I am, indeed” he answered, smirking. 

Brandon rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw, rejecting what he had just said for he needn't know what the Viper of Dorne had been doing to his little sister. 

“Shall we go back?” Oberyn suggested, and the Heir of Winterfell nodded. 

 

Ned had already left when Lyanna decided to go see their father. She dressed with a simple dark blue dress with long lace sleeves and, ignoring the sharpening pain between her legs, she strode purposefully towards his father's quarters.

“Father, we need to talk”

She didn’t knock and she regretted it right after she opened the door. 

Her father was sitting on the far side of his desk and, in front of him, was a man Lyanna had never seen before. He was dressed in red and gold, and his eyes were bright green; his hair looked as it was made with gold too and he had a close-cropped, yellow beard that followed the line of his massive jaw. 

“Excuse me, my lords” she apologized and was about to leave when the man stood up.

“You don’t need to apologize, princess” he said and kissed her hand gently “I’m Kevan Lannister, and I must say I’m sorry for I believe I arrived late to your wedding”

Lord Tywin’s brother, Lyanna thought. She didn’t know Lord Tywin Lannister in person, but she had heard of his reputation, and if her father was making any kind of arrangement with House Lannister, Lyanna knew she had to be careful and as sweet as a peach. 

“Nonsense” she replied, smiling, and then said “I see you are occupied, father, I’ll come back later” 

Lyanna moved towards her father and bent to embrace him, trying to have a better look on the paper he had in front of him. She tried not to let her smile die while she got out. She had seen the paper pretty well.

It was an arrangement to wed Cersei of House Lannister to Eddard of House Stark, but it was yet to be signed.

She decided to go get some fresh air while trying to come up with something to save Ned from such a future. Brandon and Oberyn came back in the same moment she went out to the courtyard.


	16. The Sword of The Morning

Lyanna walked quickly through the forest and to the godswood. It had always been her secret place. Sometimes, when she felt like she knew not what to do she’d go there, seeking the Old God’s help. Other times, she’d go down to the crypts, to ask for her mother’s advice, but Lady Lyarra had been gone for a long time and the empty stares of her statue could not help Lyanna. She kneelt before the tree and stared at his scary face.

“Tell me what to do” she whispered even if she knew that the God’s would not answer “Should I tell Ned? Should I stop father?”

She sat there for a while, just looking at the tree, wondering if the Old God’s could truly see her and, if it was so, if they’d care about what she had to say. Then she heard something and turned around, just to find Ser Arthur Dayne walking on her direction. 

Ashara’s brother was not wearing his white armor, even if he was a part of the Kingsguard and was at Winterfell to protect Prince Rhaegar and his family. His hair was lighter than Ashara’s but his eyes were as purple as his sister’s. Lyanna stood up and greeted him.

“Ser Arthur” she smiled politely.

“Princess” he smiled back and gave a look to The Heart Tree “Your father is looking for you” 

Lyanna frowned.

“Rickard Stark sends Ser Arthur Dayne to fetch his daughter?” she asked, surprised.

Arthur giggled “He sent Eddard, actually, but I volunteered to look for you and left your brother chatting with my sister”

Lyanna nodded and started walking back to the castle with the white knight by her side.

“Ashara is quite interested in your brother” Arthur confessed “I could even say that she is starting to fall for him”

“And my brother has already fell for her” Lyanna replied with a sad smile. If her father was looking for her he’d surely know that she had seen the papers on his desk that very same morning and Lyanna still knew not how to confront him about it, or if she should confront him at all.

Arthur and Lyanna walked in silence for a while, before she turned to look at him with a smile on her face.

“Can I ask you something?”

Arthur stared at her, not entirely sure of what she wanted. 

“Of course, princess”

“Please, call me Lyanna” 

He was going to reply that he could not do that but her serious tone made him change his mind.

“Lyanna” he nodded and she smiled “What did you want to ask?”

“I was wondering if you could practice swordfight with me” Lyanna said, not sure if he was going to laugh at her.

Arthur Dayne just smiled “Oberyn is a much better fighter than I am, he could teach you”

“Oberyn uses a spear” she replied “and I prefer a sword. And even if it’s true that my husband is said to be a great warrior you are the Sword of the Morning. I once heard that you are the most deadly member of the Kingsguard”

And then, he moved his head back and laughed, and the sound looked so much like a child’s laugh that Lyanna was shocked by it.

“I’m sure it was Ashara who told you that” they were already reaching the castle gates and he turned to look at her “Alright, she-wolf, I’ll practice with you. What about meeting in the courtyard after lunch?”

 

Lyanna went straight to her father’s chambers after Arthur left to meet Prince Rhaegar. She was not sure what she was going to find nor did she know what she was going to tell her father, because she had never wanted to disappoint Rickard Stark. Her Lord father was sitting behind his desk once more and Lyanna approached him without a sound, sitting in front of her father. His gaze didn’t move from the book he was reading, a big volume titled The Lives of Four Kings. 

Lyanna had never read that book. The only Targaryen kings who had ever interested her had not been kings but queens after all. She had always preferred Winter's Kings, Conquest of Dorne, Wed to the Sea and even The Glory of Volantis, but the only book she had ever read about Targaryens was The Princess and The Queen. She had told Ashara and Elia about her love for books days before her wedding, while they were helping her with her dress, and they had both gifted her books during the wedding feast. While Ashara had given her Ten Thousand Ships and The Loves of Queen Nymeria, much to Elia’s amusement, the Princess had gifted Lyanna a book called History of the Rhoynish Wars.

Rickard Stark closed the book making a sound that scared Lyanna, even if she didn’t let it saw, and place his look on her.

“Have you told your brother?” he asked.

Lyanna was not surprised. She had almost expected him to ask how she was, she had married the day before after all, but she had already figured out that there was something going on apart from weddings and alliances, something bigger and more important, because if that was not the case she couldn’t see why loving and caring Lord Rickard Stark would be so urgent to marry his children off. 

“No” she answered “but you should”

“I will” her father promised “when the time is right”

“You know he will agree to anything you say, father, but I beg you, do not force Ned to marry Cersei Lannister. He doesn’t love her, he never will” and she added, lowering her voice tone “I believe he is deeply in love with Lady Ashara Dayne”

Lord Stark clinched his jaw, much like her brother Brandon did when he was thinking, and, after a moment of silence, he answered.

“Marriage is not about love, Lya, not this time. Cersei Lannister is the perfect match for Ned and I’m sure he’ll be happy with her. We all must do what we have to secure the safety of our family, after all” he shut up too quick, and Lyanna felt as though he was not telling her something.

“What do you mean by this time, father?” she waited for an answer that never came and got angry “You married mother for love! Why would you deny Ned, or Brandon, or even me, the same thing?”

Her father rose to take her hand but she pulled away, standing up and walking towards the door.

“You will understand one day, Lyanna” he said but she didn’t want to listen, so she just left. She knew it was childish to get angry with her father like that but she couldn’t help it. 

She walked towards Elia’s chamber, wanting to have lunch with her, and she found both Ashara and the Princess sitting at the table. Her sister-in-law’s smile was sweet and kind and made Lyanna smile too.

 

The training sword hit Arthur on the face before he could stop it and he had to move back, away from Lyanna. He heard Brandon Stark laughing. 

“That was not even a sword fighting move” he told her.

Lyanna laughed.

“It is up here in The North” Benjen Stark screamed.

The two Stark brothers were sitting not far away from where Arthur and Lyanna were sparing, and Ashara Dayne was sitting with them too.

The White Knight moved forward to attack Lyanna and she managed to block and dodge his attacks a couple of times, most of them because Arthur was not truly doing his best, before her training sword went flying from her hands and to the floor, far away from her reach. Her shocked eyes moved from Arthur to the sword she had between her breasts.

“I win” he smirked.

“Will you spare with me more often?” Lyanna asked after he moved his sword away, while taking hers back.

“Surely, she-wolf, whenever I have time” 

“You should go change yourself, princess” Ashara told her from where she was sitting, and Lyanna made a face on her direction before giving the training sword to Arthur and entering the castle, followed by Benjen, who immediately started chatting happily with her. 

Ashara stood up and walked towards her brother. She knew Arthur too well, almost as well as she knew herself, and something in the way he had been smiling while he practiced with Lyanna made her worry.

“Don’t” she told him and Arthur didn’t even have to ask what she was talking about, he just knew.

“She is a friend, Ash” he replied “besides, you know I’d always had a thing for Oberyn” he winked at her and she couldn't contain the grin that appeared on her face.


	17. The Prince of Dorne

They had left Winterfell a week after the wedding and they were traveling their way down the King’s Road when Lyanna finally allowed herself to cry. She had not wanted to look weak or unhappy in front of her new friends and family but, alone in her tent, she had no strength to hold her tears anymore.

Brandon’s wolf ring, which he had given to her the day she had left after kissing her forehead and promising her that he’d be there for her no matter what, was hanging around her neck as though it was a necklace and Lyanna hold to it.

“Lyanna, are you alright?” Elia’s voice came from out of tent and the young princess dried her tears away and told her sister-in-law to come in.

Elia smiled at her kindly when she saw her teary eyes and sad expression. She moved forward until they were both sitting on Lyanna’s mattress and hold the girl’s hand between hers.

“I miss them” Lyanna said and before she could continue or before she could say anything to explain herself the crown princess interrupted her.

“It’s okay, we have all gone through that, Lya” she took a hair lock from her face to put it behind her ear “After my wedding to Rhaegar in King’s Landing, Oberyn had to go back to Sunspear and I was so scared of being left alone in the capital I almost went mad the first days, but then I remembered something my mother used to tell me” she made a little pause and smiled “When I was little and affected with illness she used to lie next to me on bed and stroke my hair “You are Elia Nymeros Martell” she used to tell me “you have the blood of Nymeria of Ny Sar running through your veins, the blood of the Rhoynar; and you are the blood of the first Daenerys too and as such you have Valyrian blood. You can go through this, you are strong, don’t let it break you” and then she would sing me until I got better”

Lyanna didn’t know how to answer to that and she found that she didn’t have too because Elia had not yet finished talking.

“Listen carefully now and mark my words, little wolf, you are Lyanna of Winterfell, a lady of the North and a Princess of Dorne, you have the blood of the First Men running through your veins, you are half a direwolf, and I understand that you are afraid of the unknown but I promise you, Lya, you’ll be just fine” 

Lyanna hugged her tightly, thankful for having her by her side and Elia answered to the embrace with a laugh.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do when you return to King’s Landing. You have become my family too, and so have Ashara and Arthur. I’ll miss you all”

“You can come to visit anytime you want, and I’ll love to have you by my side when the baby is born”

Lyanna nodded, smiling. She still remembered the day Elia had told her that she was pregnant, barely two days before leaving Winterfell, and how the princess had already started calling her “aunt Lya”. Lyanna had been happy until Rhaegar had mention that she would surely give Elia nieces and nephews too. The truth was that even if Oberyn and Lyanna had spent much time together those last weeks her husband hadn’t spent the night with her since their wedding day.

“I’ll feel grateful to be by your side and I’m sure Oberyn won’t complain”

Elia kissed her cheek and left the tent only minutes later after they finished talking and Lyanna couldn’t help but let her other fears crawl back to her mind. 

On the months that she had known Nymeria she had come to love her as dearly and fiercely as she would love any of her siblings, only in a more protective a maternal way, and she’d risk to say that the little snake loved her too, but Lyanna would lie if she said that she was not worried about how Obara’s and Tyene’s reactions would be.

Nymeria had told her about her sisters, of course. She had told her that Obara was harsh and hard to deal with sometimes but only because she was sad for her past sometimes and that little Tyene seemed easy to please but was a difficult little lady. But then again, she had also assured her that they would both like her, befriend her and enjoy her company.

Lyanna had not tell Oberyn about her doubts but she had shared them with Arthur during one of their sparing lessons and he had promised her that she’d be fine, he had even told her a couple of things about the girls in order to help her: Obara, much like her father, loved fighting and training with her spear, and Tyene loved being read tales and stories. But even with those tips on how to win their hearts, Lyanna felt uneasy. 

She lied on the mattress and it was not long before sleep claimed her, all her fears forgotten.

 

The journey to The Water Gardens, were Doran was currently staying, felt eternal, because after Rhaegar, Elia and their cohort left for King’s Landing, Lyanna had not have much to do, and the fact that the she was not used to the heat of the Dornish lands didn’t make the journey any better.

Lady Larra Blackmont, daughter and heir to Lord Blackmont, had traveled with them for a while as she was going to meet Lady Delonne Allyrion in Godsgrace. 

“I must confess” Larra had told her “that the main reason why I decided to accompany you was because I was curious about Oberyn’s northerner wife”

“I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment” Lyanna had replied, and the young woman had laughed, happily, placing her obsidian eyes on her.

“You totally should” she had replied “I had imagined you to be dull and short-witted, and for that I must apologize. You have turned to be much interesting than I originally thought, princess”

Larra Blackmont had left the day after that one, but not after promising Lyanna that she would pay her a visit soon and that she was eager to introduce her to her friend, Lady Delonne, saying that it would be fun to see how a she-wolf survived between snakes. Once more, Lyanna had not known if she was laughing at her.

Lyanna spurred Winter when Oberyn told her they were near the Water Gardens and raced with him through the sand. The sun was hiding by the time they reached the gardens.

A servant girl, who Lyanna thought to be no more younger than her, guided her to her chambers and left, only to return minutes later to inform her that Prince Doran Martell wanted to talk to her. Lyanna followed the girl and waited outside the solar as she entered to inform the prince of Lyanna’s arrival.

Lyanna had heard that Doran Martell was a cautious man, a smart man who cared for the words that left his mouth as much as he cared for the breath that filled his lungs, and she suddenly discovered that she was afraid of causing him a bad impression. 

The girl came out again “The Prince will see you now” she informed and Lyanna entered the solar with steady path and her head held up, even though her heart was beating faster than normal. 

The room was spacious, lit by many candles that were replacing the sun that had just faded away, and the Dornish decorations were magnificent. Doran Martell, the Prince of Dorne, her brother-in-law, was sitting behind his desk.

When he stood up and looked at her she saw a striking resemblance between him and Oberyn. The man before her was older than her husband, as his hair, which was streaked heavily with silver, show, but their eyes were also that of a viper, even though they seemed gentler, just like Elia’s. He looked strong and noble and honorable, and even though he was wearing no crown it was obvious that he was of royal blood, and head of a great linage.

“Lady Lyanna” he greeted her, with his black eyes never leaving her face, as though he was studying her, trying to figure her out.

“Your Grace” she answered, her voice never trembling “it’s a pleasure to finally meet you”

“Trust me, little wolf, the pleasure is all mine” he replied and gave her a little smile “Even though I’ve heard so many things of you that it’s almost as we have already met”

“I hope they are all nice things” she said before she could even hold her tongue. 

“They are” he assured her “but then again, I’ve always heard and read many marvelous things about the North, and being as you are Rickard Stark’s daughter, I was not surprised to hear that you are as fierce and passionate as you are loyal”

Lyanna couldn’t hold the proud smile that spread across her face.

“I must say that the princess Elia was too kind by telling you that”

“It was not Elia who told me, little wolf” he replied but gave her no time to process his words nor to manage an answer “But enough of this talk, it’s late, and you must be exhausted after such a long journey, I’ll let you rest” he kissed her hand gently and wished her a good night. 

The servant girl, whose name Lyanna discovered was Maiah, guided her back to her chamber and, right after dismissing her and putting on her nightgown, she fell asleep.


	18. Of ice and wildfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my darlings!  
> I'm sorry for taking so much to update but I really have no free time lately and I'll be even more busy this following months but I wish you can forgive me for it and I hope you can enjoy the chapter :)  
> xoxo

The halls of Winterfell had grown silent since his sister left and Ned knew that it was that silence which had driven Brandon away and had made Benjen sad.

Brandon Stark had left to the Rills not even three days after Lyanna had left for Dorne and, even though both Lord Rodrick Ryswell and his daughter Barbrey had been more than happy to have him under their roof once more, Lord Rickard Stark had raged, but the oldest of his sons hadn't seem to care.

Benjen, on the other hand, had grown sad and more than once had Ned found him wondering around the crypts and the Godswood, and even reading on the great library of the castle.

He understood them, of course. Lyanna had been Benjen's best friend and playmate, and she had lightened Brandon's days as much as she had lightened his own. And even though their father had tried to hide his sadness, it was obvious to Ned's eyes.

Rickard and Lyanna Stark had had and argument days before she'd left, which have made them grow a part on the last days of her stance in Winterfell. It pained him, as he was sure pained both her father and sister, but knowing that he had been the reason of the discussion, hurt him more than any other thing.

His father had told him about the marriage arrangement he was trying to settle between him and Cersei of House Lannister the morning after Lyanna left and Ned didn't have to ask to know that his sister had known about it. He hadn't fought his father even if he had wanted to, because he knew that was the right thing to do. He just hoped in secret that Tywin Lannister would say no.

He was on his way back to his room when Maester Walys stopped him in the middle of the hallway. He carried some letters on his hands. Dark wings, dark words Ned thought.

"Lord Eddard" he greeted him "I believe this is for you" he gave him one of the letters and then excused himself and walked down the hall, to Lord Rickard's chamber.

He made his way to his chamber and walked in before looking at the letter the Maester had given him. It was sealed with orange sealing wax and had a direwolf impressed on it. He smiled before breaking the seal, knowing it was Lya's.

His sister wanted him to know that she missed them all but that she hoped they were all alright. She told him about the journey to The Water Gardens, which she described as exciting. Lyanna wrote about how the princess had kept her company for the longest part of it, just like Ashara, and that she had come to love them as much as she loved her own family. She also talked about Ser Arthur Dayne, and about how he had helped her with her training lessons. She also let him know that she had kept practicing on her own since the white knight had left with Princess Elia and Prince Rhaegar, and warned him to be careful because she was planning on making him bite the dust next time they saw one another.

He couldn't stop noticing that she had not mention a word about her husband, her brother in law or about Dorne at all, so he sat on his desk and started writing a letter to her, demanding details about everything.

 

The dress she had decided to wear that morning was made of red silk and ornamented with beautiful gold lace patterns, and she had let her beautiful, wavy, golden hair loose down her shoulders.

She was supposed to break her fast with Princess Elia, Lady Ashara Dayne, Lady Lynesse Hightower and Princess Rhaenys at Elia's solar, and the prospect of it didn't excite Cersei at all.

She was tired of pretending to be lesser than she was, to be called Princess Elia's lady-in-waiting when she should have been Princess Cersei Targaryen of House Lannister, to have to serve the woman who had usurped everything that should have been hers. Having to stay there, at King's Landing, watching her dearest Prince Rhaegar being married to that Dornish mare was worse than that time her lord father had tried to make her learn the ways the sewers of Casterly Rock worked.

She entered Elia's chamber with her head held high and steady pace. The Princess was sitting at the head of the table, with her two year old daughter sitting on her lap. The little princess, who had inherited her father's features and would surely grow up to share his beauty, looked just like her mother, with dark hair and tainted skin, though her eyes were the color of chocolate while her mother's were as black as a starless night.

Ashara occupied the chair that was at Elia's right and smirked at Cersei when she walked in. The lion lady answered her with the most of smiles even if her blood was boiling. She had never liked Ashara Dayne of Starfall because not only was she considered the most beautiful maid of The Seven Kingdoms but she was also the most trusted friend of Elia Martell and a such was close to prince Rhaegar, a station she had wanted for herself.

Lynesse was at Elia's left and her golden hair was falling in waves down her back and when the light of the sun that was coming through the windows hit it, it shined even more than Cersei's, but the Hightower girl's eyes where deep brown and dull, nothing to do with the Lannister's bright green ones, which looked like beautiful emeralds. She was wearing an elaborated green dress, embroidered with golden lace that was tightened under her chest and had wide long gauzy sleeves.

"Cersei" she smiled at her, kindly "come, sit next to me"

She did as Lysenne told her and took a seat at her left. The servants quickly proceed to fill her empty glass and serve her the breakfast.

"Careful, Rhaenys" she heard Ashara saying when the little princess started jumping on her mother's lap but Elia just laughed.

"I'm fine, Ashara" she assured her friend with a smile "Rhaenys is just excited about having a little brother, right?"

Cersei tightened her grip on the fork. She had been furious when the princess had returned from her brother's wedding to the Stark girl and had found out that she was pregnant, and already showing, which meant that she had probably been pregnant by the time Rhaegar and her had left to the Tourney at Harrenhal.

She forced herself to smile and started talking with Lynesse about the new jewels and gowns her father, Lord Leyton Hightower, had sent her from Oldtown.

They had all finished eating their breakfast when Jaime entered the solar and made a little reverence before Elia. The princess smiled at him and then her twin brother turned to look at her. Cersei could see in his eyes that he was worried.

"Your Grace" he greeted Elia "I must apologize but my uncle just arrived in the capital and he demands to see Cersei"

Cersei rose from her chair, excused herself and followed Jaime out and through the corridor. It was not until they were walking down the stairs of Maegor Holdfast and were utterly alone, with no servants or guards around, that she took his hand and stopped him.

"What's wrong?" she asked him "What is uncle Kevan doing here?"

Jaime shook his head.

"I don't know" he stroke her cheek and Cersei hold onto the closing of his white coat before standing on her tip toes and kissing him. Jaime answered briefly but then pulled away from her "Let's not make him wait" they continued walking down the stairs until they reached Cersei's room, which was in the same floor as the nursery.

"This must be father's work" Cersei muttered, knowing that he could listen, right before they walked in.

Her servants where taking her clothes and jewels and all of her things out of the wardrobes and placing them on caskets. Kevan Lannister was sitting at her table, a glass of wine on his hand.

"What is this?!" Cersei screamed "Why are they packing my things?"

Her uncle looked at her and gave her a kind smile. He had known that taking Cersei away from King's Landing was not going to be an easy task but he couldn't stop smiling at how much she was like Tywin on her youth, all fury and wildfire, while her twin brother was much more like their mother, calm and watchful, even though that it was her who resembled Johanna, and he Tyrwin.

"Your father wants you to join him at Casterly Rock" he explained "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning"

"But I can't" Cersei shook her head and hold onto Jaime's arm "The princess will be having another child soon and she will surely need me by her side. And Queen Rhaella will need me to take care of Prince Viserys too. Father cannot take me away!"

"He can" Kevan replied "and you know it. Don't fight, Cersei. If Tywin wants you back in the Rock it must be for your own good"

"But…" she tried to reply.

"There is no use on fighting with uncle Kevan" Jaime told her "fight father once you get there, and I'll write to him, and I'm sure Elia will too" he promised her "You'll be back here before you can even notice that you were gone"

He kissed her forehead and she decided to stop arguing, she'd fight her battles once she was sure she could win them and she promised herself that one day she'd come back to King's Landing, with her father's blessing or not, to take what should have always been hers. She was a Lannister, after all, and a Lannister always pays his debts.


	19. A wolf in the garden

The sun was filling every inch of her room when Lyanna woke up. She pushed the sheets away from her body, because the weather was hot enough to annoy her and she didn't need any more things to warm her up, and covered her head with the pillow, wanting to sleep longer, and unable to do it because of the amount of light on the room.

It was when she heard a laugh that she moved her head from under the pillow and crawled on the bed to look at the figure that was having breakfast in front of her.

"What are you doing here?" she muttered.

Her husband, who was sitting with his boots on the table, took a ship from his cup and smiled at her while she tried to untangle her tangled hair. 

"I was hoping to have breakfast with my wife" he said "I've brought you lemon cakes"

Lyanna sat on the bed and smiled back at him, branding her hair to try and tame it. She stood up feeling dizzy.

"You don't look well" Oberyn frowned as she approached and sat next to him, and  offered her a glass full of water that she thanked and drank quickly.

"This weather is killing me" she answered, sitting next to him.

"You'll get used to it" he promised and couldn't stop noticing the red colour of her cheeks, which have been burned by the dornish sun during their journey through the desert. 

Lyanna poured herself another glass of water and drank it quickly before turning to the food.

“I hope so” she told her husband as she took some grapes on her hand “or else you’ll have to send me to my family on a coffin before next month”

Oberyn was taking aback at first, but then he shook his head. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Lyanna Stark desired to be buried in Winterfell, with her mother and with all of the Lords and Kings of her bloodline, even if custom dictated that, as she had married a dornish prince, she had to be buried in Sunspear.

As she stared eating the grapes, her gaze fell back on him, and she frowned, her grey eyes staring at him almost accusingly.

“It surprises me to see you so comfortable at my presence” she confessed “I had a feeling you were avoiding me. After all, last time we had a long lasting conversation was the day Lady Larra Blackmont joined us, and I know that it was just because she was with us. So tell me, Oberyn, am I so disgusting you can't even bear to talk to me?”

It didn’t take him by surprise, not entirely, but he set his cup on the table and placed his dark eyes on her, his face turning solemn.

“You are not disgusting, Lyanna, I just thought that I’d be better not to overwhelm you. You’ve left your family to come to a placed you’d never visited, after all.”

“Of course” she replied before he could add anything else “Because thinking that I might like to spend time with the only person I know in Dorne sounds odd”

Her sarcastic tone reminded him of Elia’s, and it made him smile.

 “I will make sure to accompany you and to introduce to you to everyone on the Water Gardens on the following days, then. I’m sure my brother’s wife, Mellario, is looking forward to meeting you, she was, after all, thrilled about the idea of my marriage”

Lyanna made a face.

“I hope she’s not as scary as her husband” she moved to pour herself some more water and reached for a pomegranate.

Oberyn almost chocked on his drink.

“Scary would probably be the last word I'd use to describe my brother, my lady. Most people, though, would say that I'm the scary one"

“Well” Lyanna smiled “then I’ll have to disagree with most people” she moved on her chair to fully face him, with the pomegranate still on her hand, as she took the little seeds between her fingers and eat them one by one. Oberyn wondered how long it’d take for her to realize that she was going to end up ruining her clothes with the fruit’s juice if she didn’t use a platter “You see, your story, your skills…they are well known. Even I knew who you were the first time I met you. And because of all of that, people had learnt to always expect the worst from the Red Viper of Dorne” she paused for a moment, to make sure he was following, and he nodded to urge her to continue “Doran on the other hand, is not that notorious. Before I met him I thought that he’d be some boring man, sitting behind a desk, who’d dispatch me with a look and care no longer for me”

“And what do you think now?” the prince asked, curious.

“I think he is a man that sits behind a desk, but I know that he is not to be messed with” she bit her lip, as she could not find the words to express herself. Leaving the half-finished pomegranate back on the platter, she continued “He reminds me of Ned, to be honest. I mean, if you had to pick a fight with one of my older brother’s you’d probably choose Eddard, because everyone knows that Brandon is deadly. But the question would be: how do you know that Ned is not even deadlier?”

Oberyn nodded, understanding exactly what she meant, and smiled at her.

“Not to mention” Lyanna continued “that his eyes are also like a viper’s”

That last commentary made her husband laugh.

“Wise beyond your years, aren’t you, she-wolf? And too smart for your own good” he took one of the lemon cakes from the table “I guess Elia was right”

Lyanna frowned at him.

“What do you mean?”

“She said you’d do well in Dorne. That it would suit you”

Without answering, the Stark took another sip of her cup, wishing that her sister-in-law had been right, for all of their sakes, for she could not imagine spending the rest of her life on a place she didn’t like, with people who saw her as a stranger.

 

* * *

 

With pale pink marble paves on the gardens and courtyard, and terraces overlooking the numerous pools and fountains, shaded by blood orange trees, the Water Gardens, which could be reached via a fluted pillar gallery leading to a triple archway, were a beauty to behold. Even if they were famous for their pools, Lyanna was marvelled by the orchards with fruit trees, horticultural produce and the wide variety of fragrant flowers in them. The orchards, Oberyn told her, not only supplied food for the palace residents but also for Sunspear. Water, of course, was ever present in the form of irrigation channels, runnels, jets, ponds and pools.

As they walked next to the fountains, a couple of kids passed running and laughing next to them and unintentionally splashed them with water when they jumped into one of the pools. It made Lyanna laugh and turn to her husband.

“Maron Martell must have loved the princess Daenerys very much to make such a place for her” she told him.

Maron Martell had been one of Oberyn’s ancestors, who had married Daenerys Targaryen, sister to King Daeron the Second. As that marriage had marked the union of Dorne to the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, prince Maron had raised the Water Gardens as a gift for his new wife.

“I’m sure he did”

Turning back to look at the children playing on the pools, she whispered.

“I can’t tell who are the lowborn and who the highborn. It’s beautiful”

Oberyn smirked at her and was about to answer when a voice coming from behind them interrupted him.

“I’ve found myself thinking the same thing more than once, little wolf” Doran smiled.

“Others would find it outraging” she replied.

“And why would that be?” the eldest Martell asked again, with his black eyes on her.

“Some nobles may think that having their children play with lowborn children is something horrible, as though the poor kids were sick or bared disease. They should be reminded that we all will end up dead and buried, and gold and treasures will be of no use to us when that happens”

“You are noble yourself, Lyanna” Doran noticed “Do northern lords and ladies not believe the same?”

Oberyn watched in silence as his brother talked to Lyanna. He was not sure his wife was aware of it, but Doran was testing her, wanting to know what kind of person she was. Lyanna turned to the ruler of Dorne, frowning.

“Many might, yes” she nodded “But not me or my family. We know that lordship is a duty not a right and definitely not a privilege”

Her gaze went back to the kids playing on the pool and, unaware of the exchange of looks between the Martell brothers, she slightly lifted the skirt of her dress and sat down by the pool, sinking her feet on the warm waters of it. A scream from a little girl broke the silence between them a moment later.

“Father!”

As she run to them, Lyanna saw that the girl couldn’t be more than five years old. She was tiny, with big dark eyes and long hair that looked like ebony, and wore a bright orange dress. Doran picked her easily and hugged her tight, as the girl held onto his tunic and a woman approached them, laughing. Lyanna stood up again and looked at Oberyn, waiting for introductions.

“Lyanna” Doran called, being, once again, quicker than his brother “, may I introduce to you my daughter Arianne” and he turned to the girl on his arms “This is your aunt Lyanna, my love”

The girl looked at her and smiled.

“Hello” she said.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Arianne” the young lady smiled at the child.

“None sense, princess” the woman who had come behind Arianne addressed her with a kind smile and then made a little reverence “It is us who are pleased to meet you”

“You must be Mellario of Norvos”

The woman was not much taller than Lyanna, but her curves where much more defined than those of the northerner. Her big brown eyes were kind, just like her smile, and Lyanna could see why Doran Martell would have fallen for her. With her ebony skin and her exotic appearance, she was a beauty to behold.

“I am, princess” she kept on smiling as she approached Lyanna and hugged her. After a moment of hesitation, the Stark hugged her back.

“Please, call me Lyanna” she told her when they broke apart.

Lyanna gave a little jump when she felt a hand reaching for her hair and moved away from Mellario to look back at her daughter, who was still on her father’s arms, and had moved her hand away, her big eyes staring at her. Next to Lyanna, Oberyn laughed, looking at her niece.

“What are you doing Arianne?” Doran asked.

“Nym told Tyene that Lyanna was a wolf” Arianne answered, looking from her father to his uncle “But she doesn’t have a fur”

That statement only made Oberyn laugh harder. Lyanna smirked at her husband before turning to the dornish princess.

“Nym is right” she said “All Starks are direwolves, Arianne, and Nymeria saw it on Winterfell, but you must not worry, for no wolf would ever harm a member of its own family”

Frowning, Arianne looked like she was considering if Lyanna was telling the truth or not, and then she nodded.

“I will tell Tyene” she stated, and made her father put her down.

Before anyone could stop her she was moving her little legs and running across the garden and into the palace. After apologising, Mellario went after her daughter.

“Nymeria really _is_ your daughter” Doran told his brother and Oberyn gave him a proud smile.

“Lyanna” Mellario called, turning around “Would you like to come with me?”

After a moment of hesitation, Lyanna nodded, made a little reverence before Doran, smiled at her husband, and went after her sister-in-law. Mellario didn’t say anything when she fell into step with her but Lyanna saw that she was smiling.

“You haven’t met Obara or Tyene, have you?”

“I’ve heard of them” she replied, even if she knew that listening to the stories that Nym, the Dayne siblings, and Elia and Oberyn had told her, had nothing to do with what she could find.

They walked into the palace in silence and, as they were walking slowly, Lyanna took her time to admire the walls round her. The decoration within the palaces, as she had read on _Conquest of Dorne_ , came from the last great period of Rhoynish art in Dorne, which had little, if none, influence of the architectural style of the rest of Westeros. Unlike the rhoynish, the dornish used bright colours to decorate their walls and rooms and the combination of both the dornish art and the rhoynish architecture, made the palace shine with a light of its own. Lyanna, who was used to Winterfell’s grey and plain walls, found herself marvelled every time she looked around. She assumed that she’d get used to it in time and yet it seemed unlikely.

Mellario guided her to a great salon on the second floor of the main palace and Lyanna couldn’t help the smile that appeared on her face when she saw the two girls sitting on a mountain of pillows. Arianne was leaning over and telling something to her little cousin and the youngest girl turned around when she heard them coming into the room. Her skin was as pale as Lyanna’s, her hair looked like it was made of threats of gold, and when the Stark’s grey eyes looked at her, they met a pair of blue eyes, as clear as a sunny day, staring back at her.

“There’s someone here who wishes to see you, Tyene” Mellario smiled at her.

Lyanna followed the older woman and approached the two girls. Sitting on the pillows next to them, she smiled at Tyene.

“My name is Lyanna” she said.

Tyene nodded, making her blonde locks fall on her face.

“Nym told me” she replied and moved her hair back.

“I said to Tyene that you are a wolf” Arianna interrupted “I said you are not going to hurt us”

Smiling at the little princess, Lyanna nodded.

“Of course I won’t”

Lyanna didn’t know if Tyene understood why they were family, she guessed not for the girl was but three years old, and yet the little snake moved to take one of the dolls that she had been playing with and gave it to her.

“You are the princess” she told her, her melodic voice sounded almost commanding, and picked a little wooden dragon “I am a dragon”

“Sounds fair” Lyanna laughed.

As Arianne moved closer to them, more toys on her hands, Mellario met the she-wolf’s gaze and smiled at her. For a moment Lyanna thought that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad to live there, and, as Tyene laughed, sitting on her lap while her dragon hit Arianne’s knight, she tried to convince herself that everything was going to be just fine.


	20. The head and the heart

When Oberyn and Nymeria found them, Arianne had fallen asleep on the pillows, Mellario was gone, and Tyene was comfortably sitting on Lyanna's lap, asking her questions about the North. The she wolf hadn't thought that the little snake would understand what she was saying, but she was surprised when she found out that she was rather bright for a girl so young. Tyene turned to her father and sister as they walked in and stick her tongue out to Nymeria when the girl sat down next to her.

"What are you telling her?" the older sister asked.

"Lya is explaining the Old Gods to me" Tyene smiled.

Oberyn had moved to the far end of the room to pick a jar of water and had poured himself a glass as Lyanna retook her story, with both Tyene and Nymeria giving her their full attention. Moving to sit next to his second daughter, he found himself listening to his wife's tale too.

"After the Pact between the First Men and the Children, the former set aside their previous religion to worship the children's nature gods and like the children they would carve faces into the weirwood trees" Lyanna was saying "Much like the Seven that the Andals brought to Westeros, some of the deities worshipped by the children had names, but others just had faces. The Lady of the Waves, for example, and the Lord of the Skies were deities of old worshipped by First Men who lived on the islands of the Three Sisters. They believed that sacred storms were the result of the love they bared each other, but their worship ended with the arrival of the Andals and the Faith of the Seven"

Nymeria was frowning, but Tyene seemed angry.

"Are the children dead then? Did the Andals kill them?"

Lyanna smiled at her bopping her nose and making her laugh.

"That's what everyone will tell you yes, for that is what they believe" and then she whispered, almost like she was telling them a secret "but they are not. North of the Wall, things are different. That's where the children went, and the giants, and the other old races, and there is where they endure, hidden inside their precious trees"

As marvelled as Tyene seemed, her sister didn't look convinced. Oberyn smiled at her when she pushed her dark locks away from her face and turned to Lyanna.

"And how do you know this? You said everyone has forgotten the truth"

The she wolf didn't look surprised by her question and she was ready to answer, smiling at Nymeria.

"There are people in the North who remember the old days, who still speak the old tongues and know the tales to be true. Most of them live near the Wall but others have a home on the mountains" she explained calmly "And it was in the mountains that my grandmother lived before she met my grandfather, and it is there that she lives now that he is dead and my father is Lord of Winterfell"

"Your grandmother told you, then?" Nymeria insisted, gaining a tired look from Tyene, who wasn't amused by her sister's interruptions.

"She did" Lyanna answered and the little snake finally nodded, asking no further.

Arianne moved on her sleep from her place on the pillows and Oberyn stood up to pick her up. His niece complained and kicked a little but it only made him laugh.

"Come on, little sun" he told her "Let's take you to your room"

"Arianne always takes naps" Nymeria told Lyanna as soon as her father left the room, and the she wolf could read on her face that she didn't like that, or Arianne, very much.

Moments later, a woman that reminded Lyanna of Old Nan appeared on the door way, calling for the girls, telling them that it was time for them to go to their lessons. When she asked what those lessons were, the woman informed her that the little princesses had to learn how to write, read, and had history lessons every day, by their father's command. Nymeria took Tyene's hand as they walked out of the room, complaining and telling her little sister that she wanted to go ridding. Lyanna heard Oberyn telling his daughter that she'd be able to do whatever she wanted once she was done with her classes when he met his daughters on the corridor and before he walked into the room and sat next to his wife.

"Tyene is smarter that any girl her age I've known" the Stark confessed and Oberyn smiled.

"I know. She is quite remarkable"

She hold back at smile when she saw how proud he was of his daughter, the love he bared for her and her sisters easy to notice.

"What you said about your grandmother" he turned to her "was it true?"

He knew he had offended his wife as soon as she frowned at him.

"Of course it was!"

Oberyn nodded.

"Who is she?" he asked and Lyanna's grey eyes, which had been fixed on him, seemed to look through him as she got lost in memories.

"Her name is Arya Flint. She was married to Rodrik Stark, the youngest son of Lord Beron Stark, and she is my mother's mother" she took a deep breath and Oberyn waited, knowing well how the pain of losing a other felt, his own mother having died some years before "She went back to her mountains after Rodrik died but I have met her. She came to Winterfell a couple of years ago, when I was four-and-ten" giving him a weak smile, she continued "She came years before too, when my mother died, but I was too young to remember, the only thing I know, and only because Brandon told me, is that my father insisted that my mother should be buried on the mountains and Arya took her"

Lyanna played with the wolf ring that she wore around her neck as she spoke and Oberyn noticed that it was the same ring her eldest brother had worn during the time he had known him, and assumed that Brandon must have given it to his sister as a parting gift. It shouldn't have surprised him, seeing as he had given Elia a dagger as a wedding present, just in case she found herself in need of cutting her husband's throat.

 

* * *

 

If Ned had been asked about his older brother's fears, he would have answered that he had none but, at that moment, seeing as his face went pale after he had been told that he'd be traveling to Riverrun the following month to marry Catelyn Tully, he thought that maybe Brandon was not fearless after all. Their father had left them alone on the great hall and Benjen was off ridding, having forgotten that he had to go back to the castle for lunch.

"Have you asked father about Ashara?" Brandon turned to him and Ned clenched his jaw, not feeling comfortable about discussing the matter with Brandon.

He shook his head.

"You know that he proposed a match with Cersei Lannister"

"I also know that Tywin Lannister rejected it" Brandon replied, and reached for his fork again, eating his food like father had said nothing and his wedding was not imminent.

Ned's answer was barely a whisper when he turned to his brother.

"She is not answering my letters"

The last time Eddard had heard from Ashara had been upon her arrival at King's Landing, weeks before. After that, the Dayne lady had stopped answering his letters, and Ned didn't know if she had read them at all. It was nonsense to assume that she would have, and that realisation had made his heart sink. It was not something to discuss with Brandon, and he wasn't surprised when his brother continued eating without really paying him much attention. He knew that Lyanna was the one he should told his fears to, and yet Ned couldn't find the courage to tell his sister what was going round his mind, mostly because he couldn't find the words and did not know what to write to her.

"Women are complicated creatures" Brandon said at last and Ned fought the urge to laugh "You could leave, you know?" his brother continued "Take your horse and ride to White Harbour. I'm sure you'll find a ship that goes to King's Landing"

Ned shook his head again.

"It is not that simple"

"It should be" Brandon replied, finishing his lunch "Any man should be allowed to go to the woman he loves" when he looked at Eddard again his grey eyes were solemn "I would do it, if there was a lady I loved"

Long after Brandon had left, Eddard remained sat on his seat, thinking about Ashara Dayne, and about what would happen if he run away to meet her. He could tell his father that it was Lyanna he was going to see, or even Jon Arryn, so he may let him ride south, but he doubted Rickard Stark would believe it, for Ned knew that his father had knowledge of his feelings for the dornish lady. He thought of Benjen for a moment, and of all his insinuations and declarations of his intension of joining the Night Watch, and, even if he wasn't sure his little brother would do it, for a moment, he wished he was that brave.

 

* * *

 

The departure of Cersei Lannister had caused great disturbance in King's Landing, especially at court, but Arthur had not seen the princess really worried about it. Cersei's brother, on the other hand, seemed to be uneasy all the time, like he could not concentrate without her presence and the White Knight had had to lecture him more than once. Climbing up the stairs to Maegor's Holdfast, he knocked on Elia's door and waited until he was told to come in by his sister. The princess had not been feeling alright those last few days, mostly because of her pregnancy, but also because of the change in the weather. The master had suggested that she stayed in bed until the dizziness passed, and Ashara had taking upon herself to sleep at Elia's chambers, just in case she needed help, and to spend every moment of her day with her, not even caring for the suitors that run along the Red Keep wishing to get sight of her.

Inside the room, the princess's uncle, Ser Lewyn, sat comfortably at Elia's table, with his niece at his left and Lyssene Hightower at his right, while Ashara sat at Elia's other side.

"Drinking while being on service?" Arthur questioned Lewyn, making his sworn brother laugh.

"It helps me clear my mind" the dornishman smirked at him, finishing his wine cup before letting it on the table and standing up, caressing his beard "I'll stand guard outside"

Arthur nodded "And I'll stay here"

"You always take the funny stuff, little Dayne" Lewyn smiled as he walked out and closed the door.

Ashara smiled at her brother, who bent to kiss her forehead, before making a reverence to Elia. The princess looked at him through hooded eyes and told him to sit in the chair that he uncle had emptied. She looked tired, Arthur noticed, older even, and yet she had a smiled for him, just like she had them for Ashara, Lyssane and all of those who addressed her. Such strength, he knew, befitted a queen, and was not one a man could have.

"Is it from Oberyn?" he asked, noticing the paper between her hands.

Elia looked down at the letter and then smiled.

"Doran" she replied "You'd think he'd have enough with writing to me once a week"

Moving in her chair to be closer to Elia, Ashara addressed her brother.

"Elia won't tell me if her brother peaks of our wolf friend…which means that he must" she smiled and Elia rolled her eyes.

"Elia told you that matter is not something you should worry about" the smile didn't leave Ashara's face until Elia spoke again "You should rather worry about my sister-in-law's brother whose letters you are not answering"

Ashara's violet eyes moved from Elia to some spot on the table as her brothers bright blue ones moved to her.

"Is that true, Ash?" the White Knight questioned her as she clenched her jaw.

"It's not your choice, Arthur, nor Elia's" she replied with a sharp tone and her brother didn't dare to answer "It is better this way"

"Does Eddard think the same way?" Arthur asked, not able to contain himself.

Before Ashara could answer, Elia let out a low moan, almost like she were in pain, and the Dayne siblings turned to her with worry, moving their hands to reach her, but the princess waved her hand at them.

"I'm fine" she said after a moment "Is just…" she grabbed her lady-in-waiting's hand and placed it on the little bump of her belly.

Ashara smiled at her.

"The child is moving"

Elia nodded, her dark locks falling on her face, and Arthur relaxed, leaning back on his chair again, letting out the breath he had been holding.

 

* * *

 

The sun was setting when Lyanna walked out of the palace, wearing breaches and having combed her hair on a braid. She had her sword, which had been given to her in secret by Brandon right before their departure to Harrenhall, on her belt just in case she'd need it. It was not difficult for her to slip out of the gardens, having learnt to be as silent as a shadow back in Winterfell when she ran out of the castle with Benjen to practice with their wooden swords at the Godswood, and it was even easier to reach the sore.

She had never been on a beach, not a true one at least. Her father had once taken Ned and her to White Harbour in one of his visits, leaving Brandon in charge at home, but the sand there had been brown, resembling the mud that got on Lyanna's dresses every time she ran through the forest, more than the soft, white, sand that she had now between her feet. The Stark took off her boots, leaving them on the sand, as she walked closer to the water, the dying sun making the clear waves look bright orange. She could smell salt as she kneelt to touch the water with her hands, the lower part of her breaches getting wet. The sun was almost gone when she noticed the other two people on the beach. They were far away from her, so far that she doubted they had seen it, and they seemed to be fighting. Taking her boots from the place where she had left them and carrying them on her left hand as she approached the two figures, she noticed that they were fighting with wooden weapons.

The man was tall, with broad shoulders and white chin length hair, and was brandished a wooden sword. The girl he was training, though, wielded a wooden spear that was taller than she was. Her rat-brown hair was on a bun at the back of her neck but many locks of hair had gotten out of it and, if the spear had not been enough for Lyanna to guess who the girl was, her close-set eyes were. They were nothing like Nymeria's or Tyene's, and yet the girl's obsidian eyes remind her of Oberyn's. She took a deep breath as she watched them, thinking about how she was supposed to introduce herself to eleven year old Obara Sand.

The spear went flying away from the girl and Lyanna was sure she had heard her groaning as the man stared at her, almost as he was waiting for her to get angry and scream. Picking the wooden weapon from the sand, Obara turned to Lyanna, who was still keeping her distance.

"Who are you?" she spat.

"Just an spectator" the Stark smiled, knowing that she probably looked more like a stable boy or a serving girl than like a lady, and wondering if Oberyn eldest had heard about her.

The girl's attention went back to her spear, and she made it turn on her hand, as the man, that Lyanna had seen shadowing Doran that same morning but whose name she didn't know, turned to look at her, his eyes showing her that he did know who she was, but said nothing.

"You are good with the spear" Lyanna told her.

Obara laughed, looking at her with her head high and her viper eyes glowing with the last rays of sun, turning the spear on her hand again.

"I know" she moved to face the man again but Lyanna wasn't done talking.

"But you should learn how to move your feet"

The eldest sand snake looked offended and frowned at her, giving a few steps on her direction. She was tall for her age, Lyanna noticed, and her eyes were full of anger and hatred.

"What do you mean?"

Even if she wasn't sure if she had offended the young girl, the she wolf guessed that it'd be best to explain herself.

"You don't need to get close to your opponent to fight, the spear can do that for you, but you can't defend yourself if you just wield your weapon but don't move your feet"

"I don't need to defend myself" Obara replied, shaking her head "I need to kill my opponent" she gave a few steps back "But if you think you can beat me…take the sword"

Lyanna couldn't contain a smile, remembering how Doran had said that Nymeria was indeed Oberyn's child, seeing that Obara was too. Though she doubted that Oberyn would get into a fight so recklessly, without being certain he could win.

The white haired man turned to her and gave her the wooden sword, his eyes warning her, and she took it with a smile, turning to Obara. The girl didn't even wait for Lyanna to be ready, she turned the spear on her hand and let it fall on her, almost as if she wanted to hit Lyanna on the head, but the she wolf blocked the attack with her sword, pushing forward and getting closer to her, dodging and blocking attacks instead of striking. Moments later, she was so close to Obara that the sand snake couldn't manoeuvre with her weapon, and Lyanna made it fly away from her hand. Obara's eyes were on her fallen weapon and, when she turned to Lyanna again, she looked surprised but nodded at her.

"I am Obara Sand" she introduced herself, not knowing that the Stark had already guessed that much.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Obara" the she wolf smiled at her kindly as the girl bent to pick up her spear and leaned on it as she looked at her "I'm Lyanna Stark"

There was recognition in the sand snake's dark eyes but, as there was not much of daylight left, Lyanna could not read her face properly, but she was sure she had seen her frown.

"At least you know how to hold a sword" Obara said after a moment of silence.

"We should head back to the palace" the knight told them and the sand snake rolled her eyes at him.

"You worry too much, Areo" she complained but followed him when he started walking, and so did Lyanna.

"It's my job, my lady" he answered Obara, making the girl groan at the name.

Lyanna was aware of Obara looking at her and studying her moves as they walked back into the Water Gardens, but didn't say anything, nor did she turn to look back at the sand snake, even though she wondered what Obara might be thinking and found herself feeling that it was important for her to get along with the girl.


	21. Sea snake

As weeks went by, the eldest sand snake seemed to get used to Lyanna's presence. She would allow her to watch when she trained with Areo and, from time to time, she would even accept her advice, even if the she-wolf was sure that the young girl didn't like getting critics from anyone and only accepted them when she had no other choice but to do so. Nymeria would demand Lyanna to go riding with her and, before bed, the northerner would tell Tyene bedtime stories.

She had received news from the North, telling her that Brandon was to marry Catelyn Tully before her next name day, which meant that before the year's end Lyanna would have to travel to Riverrun to witness the event. Her brother didn't sound very happy about it and Lyanna, who hadn't liked Catelyn Tully at all, had decided to attend the wedding to be with her family, even if she didn't like the bride. Ned's letters had been more cheerful but Lyanna wasn't sure he was telling her everything that was going on back home. It was probably Benjen who told her the whole truth, saying that he missed her and that he hated being alone in Winterfell. She had made sure to remind him that he was not alone and to dissuade him of his crazy ideas about joining the Night's Watch.

As she walked down to Doran's solar to join him and the rest of the Martells for breakfast, she wondered when she had become that used to her new family. Maybe it had been after Oberyn and she had started to spend more time together, especially since Tyene had made Lyanna join her history lessons saying that she needed to know more things about Dorne. She could have said no, pleading that she already knew everything that she needed to know thanks to the books that Elia and Ashara had gifted her, but there was no easy way to deny something to the little girl when she stared at Lyanna with those big blue eyes of hers. And Oberyn liked to make fun of her, mostly because some of the words that Tyene, Arianne and Nym used, even if Nymeria also tended to speak in High Valyrian, for it was her mother's tongue, and some of the curses he also used, were old rhoynish, and her northerner accent was not made for such things. She had revenged herself on Oberyn by beating him on horseback, and he had laughed about her no more, on the contrary, he had made sure to help her learn, and now the Stark was able to curse in rhoynish, much to Doran's amusement. In return, she had told Oberyn all the stories that she knew about the Kings of Winter, finding out that the dornish prince was as much as an avid learner as his youngest daughter, and had help him learn a poem in the Old Tongue which words he didn't understand but was eager to learn.

Mellario, Doran, who had Arianne sitting on his lap, and Oberyn were already sitting at the table. Her sister-in-law smiled at her when she walked in and sat next to Oberyn. Looking down at the britches she was wearing and smiling at the red on her cheeks, Oberyn laughed.

"So, that's why you left so early"

"Winter wanted to go out" she shook her shoulders "and I love to see the sunrise as I ride next to the shore"

"Don't tell Nym that you left without her or we'll never hear the end of it" Doran warned her with a kind smile and, almost like she had been summoned, the sand snake walked into the solar with Tyene by her hand, and quickly sat next to her aunt.

The little princess jumped down from her father's lap to join her cousins at the table and a servant had to put cushions on Tyene and Arianne's chairs because they wouldn't reach the table. Mellario offered to feed her daughter, but the princess refused, wanting to eat on her own as Tyene did, claiming that she was old enough to do so, making Nymeria laugh.

Obara rarely had breakfast with them, even though she did join Lyanna and Oberyn on her father's solar more than once for lunch, and even if the she-wolf hadn't wanted to ask the young woman why that was, she was sure she could guess it, especially after having witnessed that the oldest sand snake treated Arianne differently than she treated everyone else. Lyanna hadn't discussed it with Oberyn, but Mellario had told her about the day the youngest prince of Dorne had gone to claim his daughter, the story having been told to her by her husband, and the Stark had almost hated her husband for taking a daughter away from her mother, until she had asked Obara about it.

"He didn't take me" the girl had assured her "I wanted to leave. There was no place for me with my mother. My place is here"

She hadn't quite understood what Obara had meant, but knowing that the little warrior didn't miss her mother as Lyanna thought she might and that she wanted nothing more than to live there with her father and sisters had soothed her.

After they were done eating, Oberyn took Nym and Tyene to take her classes, knowing that Nymeria would surely skip them if she was not watched, and Lyanna went to change herself into new britches and one of Oberyn's shirts, that she tied to her waist with a leather belt, and then walked back to Doran's solar. She was sure she looked more like a stable girl, or maybe even a high bastard, instead of a princess, but her brother-in-law had never cared.

"I told you I was in no need of your assistance today, little wolf" Doran smiled at her from behind his desk as she sat in front of him.

"And I told you that I have nothing better to do" she replied and the ruling prince of Dorne handed her a couple of papers.

Lyanna smiled down at the numbers written on them. She had been helping Doran with accounts and state matters for almost a month, ever since she had met and envoy from the Great Bank of Braavos who claimed that Prince Doran's mother had owed them a debt that was now Doran's responsibility and needed to be paid. The prince had been troubled, unsure of why his mother might have asked for a loan from the braavosi, and the she-wolf had one day found him staring at the pools and looking through some of the dornish accounts on one of the palace's balconies. Having, as she had, helped her father rule Winterfell since she was old enough to understand what the duties of a lady were, she had offered to help, and barely a couple of days later the matter with the braavosi was settled. Lyanna had made sure to tell Doran as soon as she found out that the numbers were not entirely correct and it had turned out the debt hadn't been as huge as the bankers had told them. In the end, the loan was returned and the braavosi had left and Doran had offered Lyanna a seat on his council. Oberyn had laughed upon hearing the news.

"I knew you had it in you" he had told Lyanna and Doran had said that shall anything happen to him or Mellario he believed Lyanna would be the perfect candidate to rule as regent until Arianne came of age. The Stark didn't know if it had been a joke, but Oberyn had made a face at his brother and Doran had seemed too serious for his statement to not be true, and yet she hoped that it wasn't, knowing that helping a prince with bank accounts and grain and supply distribution was nothing compared to ruling a kingdom.

By the she was done helping Doran, the sun was going down, and when she walked out of the palace Mellario told her that Oberyn had gone to ride with Nymeria, so she decided to sit by the pools and enjoy the sun while she watched Tyene and Arianne play with some of the other children. Maiah, the girl who served Lyanna and Lyanna alone and who had become a good friend to the princess, came looking for her not long after, her face troubled.

"There's a woman on the entrance of the garden's" the hazel eyed girl told her as Lyanna stood up from the floor "She was asking for Prince Oberyn and when the guards told her that he was away she asked to see his wife. She said she was in a hurry"

The she-wolf frowned.

"Thank you, Maiah, you may retire" she smiled at the servant and then made her way to the entrance of the Water Gardens, not sure of what she was going to find.

Outside the gardens, with two guards preventing her from walking inside by keeping their spears crossed in front of her, was a tall woman. She was giving Lyanna her back at first, but the princess took notice of her clothes. She wore long bright blue britches that had been patched here and there with different types of textures of different colours and her boots ended in a curved tip. When the woman turned around he smiled at Lyanna even if she looked unsure and mistrusting. Her skin was the darkest the she-wolf had ever seen and her hair was cut so short that Lyanna could see her scalp. The Stark couldn't stop noticing that the woman had different daggers concealed around her leather vest. She held a baby in her arms.

"I asked to speak to Prince Oberyn" she said with a strong accent "or to his wife. I hear he is married, yes?"

"He is. I am Lyanna Stark, Oberyn's wife" Lyanna answered and she made a gesture for the guards to let her through "How may I be of help?" she asked when the woman walked closer to her.

"I am the captain of the Feathered Kiss" the woman introduced herself "This" she gestured at the babe who was asleep on her arms "is Sarella"

Lyanna nodded, looking at the little girl, understanding perfectly what the woman implied, and smiling when the baby moved in her sleep and made a funny face.

"She is Oberyn's" the Stark stated and the woman nodded.

"My ship is not a place for a child" she informed "I cannot take care of her. It would be too dangerous" and added, almost like she was trying to excuse herself "Oberyn has more daughters"

"He does" Lyanna agreed "How old is she?"

The woman looked down at her daughter.

"She will be a year old on a moon's turn"

"Oberyn is not here right now" Lyanna told her after a moment of silence "If you wait for him…"

"I can't. My crew is waiting and we must set sail soon. It would be dangerous for us to stay much longer"

The woman was a pirate, not that Lyanna was surprised, her clothes and posture had given her away, and a pirate's company seemed fit for the youngest prince of Dorne. And yet the Stark wasn't sure if she could take Sarella in without Oberyn's agreement, even if she felt that it would be unjust to send her away when the rest of her sisters lived there.

"Give her to me" she said after a moment of doubt, and took the babe in her arms. Sarella moved, but didn't awake or cry.

"Thank you" the captain smiled at her "This act shows me you have honour, Princess Lyanna. I will not forget this day and my ship shall be at your service if you ever are in need"

"Won't she ask about you when she grows up? Will you come to visit?"

Dark eyes met Lyanna's grey ones and the princess could see that the older woman doubted but, after a moment, she shook her head.

"I cannot" she stated "I know she will be taken care of"

The she-wolf took a deep breath, looking at the baby in her arms and wondering what she had just done, but then turned to the captain again.

"You have my word on that"

"I must leave" she started walking backwards "Thank you again, princess"

Lyanna stood there, staring at the woman as she walked away from the garden's door and to the horse that was waiting for her outside, waiting for her to turn around to look at her daughter one last time, but she didn't and, noticing the scrutinizing gaze of the guards who were still close to her, she turned around, moving Sarella on her arms so she'd be more comfortable, and walked back to the castle. The first person she met was Doran, who walked to her in silence, his dark eyes going from her to the baby, almost demanding an answer to an unasked question.

"A woman came" Lyanna simply said "She is Oberyn's"

Doran nodded and asked to pick the girl up. The moment Lyanna put Sarella into his hands, the babe started crying but, as they made their way to Lyanna's solar, Doran rocked her on his arms and by the time they entered the princess' chambers she was quiet again.

"Do you think he'll be angry?" Lyanna asked him "Because I took her in without discussing it with him first"

The prince looked at her with a frown decorating his features, wondering if Lyanna didn't see that there was no way Oberyn would feel offended by such a selfless act of kindness and realizing once more that Elia had been beyond right in assuming that this young northerner girl would do well at Dorne and, most importantly, would do well with their little brother. Any other lady would have pushed away Oberyn's children, both for not being their own and for being bastards, which would have resulted on a surely disastrous relationship with Oberyn, for his brother had little tolerance for those who messed with his family. Instead, Lyanna had welcomed them, knowing that they were part of her new family, and Doran had seen that the girls, especially the little ones, liked her and enjoyed her company, which, even if his brother hadn't said it out loud, made Oberyn really happy, even if the she-wolf and the red-viper behaved more like good friends than like husband and wife. But welcoming this little babe on her home proved that Lyanna had no issue with the life Oberyn had lived before meeting her, and showed Doran that she had a biggest heart than he had expected.

"That'd be impossible, little wolf" he smiled at her, wondering if she would never stop surprising him. After a moment of silence he noted "We must find her a wet nurse"

"A wet nurse? Why?" Oberyn's voice came from the door and Lyanna turned to look at him, only to find his eyes open wide at the sight of the baby that Doran held between his arms "And…who might that be?"

Lyanna smiled at him, almost delighted by the surprise on his face.

"The captain of the Feathered Kiss came looking for you. She said she couldn't take care of the child"

Oberyn raised an eyebrow at her.

"And you took the babe?"

She struggled with the words for a moment.

"I shouldn't have?"

The prince shook his head moving his hand to cup her cheek and bent to kiss her forehead before moving to take the child from his brother's arms. Sarella complained again and gave a little cry.

"Hush, little one" Oberyn told her before turning to Lyanna "Did her mother give her a name?"

"Sarella"

"Sarella Sand it is, then" the viper laughed "Who is going to tell the girls?"

"Their oaf of a father, of course" his brother answered, moving to tap his shoulder, and Lyanna couldn't stop laughing at the look on Oberyn's face upon hearing his brother's insult.


	22. Dark wings, dark words

The girls were excited about Sarella from the moment Oberyn introduced the babe to them, and even Obara would stop by the nursery from time to time to check on her youngest sister. Mellario had been surprised by Lyanna's decision and so have been Ned, to whom the Stark princess had written to tell him what had happened. And, as surprised as he had been, he had done nothing but support her, agreeing with her in everything, and telling her that he was happy upon hearing that she was getting along with the little snakes. Lyanna had wrote to her father too, merely to hear of him, for they had not talked to each other since before she had left Winterfell, but Rickard Stark had sent his daughter no answer, and she guessed that was his way of punishing her for her defiance.

Obara walked into Lyanna's chamber as the she-wolf rocked Sarella on her arms, putting her to sleep. Smiling at the eldest sand snake and indicating her not to make a sound, the princess left Sarella on her cradle and, when she made sure she didn't cry, left the room with Obara, closing the door without making a sound and staying on the hallway in case the littlest snake awoke.

"This came for you" Obara informed, handing her some letters "Father asked me to give it to you when I told him I was coming to see Sarella"

"Thank you." She took the letters and looked down at them. The first one was sealed with the sun and spear of House Martell, the second had a white sword and falling star on it, and the last one had the blazon of House Blackmont. Lyanna frowned at that one, but didn't say anything, and turned to Obara again "You'll have to come later to see your sister, it took all my patience to put her to sleep"

"I know." The snake nodded "Father said, and I quote: Go away, your sister didn't let me sleep at night so I intend to stay in bed during the day. I think Uncle Doran reproached him, but I don't think he cares"

It made Lyanna laugh. Oberyn had taken upon himself to take care of Sarella at night, seeing as Lyanna tended to her during most parts of the day, and the baby had proven to be a living nightmare. While she was calm and quiet while the sun was up, she seemed to be full awake during the night, and wouldn't stop walling to let everyone know that she demanded attention, which had caused Oberyn to lose tons of sleep.

Obara excused herself, saying that, seeing that she could not see her sister, she was going to go practice with her spear, and promised Lyanna to beat her next time they spared. The she-wolf would make sure to hold her up to that promise, even if she knew that Obara only practiced as much as she did because she hoped to one day be able to be better than her own father. Resting against the railway in front of her and staring down at the garden, with the dornish sun warming her skin, she decided to open the letters, starting with Elia's.

_Dear Lyanna,_

_I write to you as both a sister and a princess, wanting to ask you to join me at Court so you may accompany me during the birth of my child. You do not have to come right away, of course, but I'll be glad if you did it before a moon's turn. I'm not sure Oberyn can be convinced to come up here, but I beg you, please try, for I'd like to see him too._

_With all my love,_

_Princess Elia_

Putting it away and reaching for the next one, Lya wondered why Elia needed her at King's Langing so soon, when the baby wasn't supposed to come until, at least, three other months. The next letter gave the she-wolf the answer to that question.

_Lyanna,_

_I've read Elia's letter and I know that she hasn't been entirely sincere with you. The princess has been abed for the past week and Rhaegar fears she may lose the child. Ashara is more optimistic, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I know your presence here, and Oberyn's, will help Elia get through this, that's why I must ask you to join us as soon as you can._

_Your friend,_

_Arthur_

Lyanna felt her heart skip a beat. If she had had any doubt upon reading Elia's letter, Arthur's had make it go away. She'd make sure to speak to Oberyn as soon as he woke up to discuss the matter with him, even if she suspected that, seeing as Elia's health was on the line, he'd get ready to leave as soon as possible. Looking at the black vulture on the last letter, Lyanna wondered what Larra Blackmont would have to tell her. Staring down at the garden again, she found Nymeria waving at her from one of the pools, and waved back with a smile, before turning to the letter again. She sighed and broke the seal.

_Princess,_

_I've found myself in need of traveling to Sunspear for some family matters and I'd like to inform you that I'd be arriving at the Water Garden's at noon to, once again, enjoy your company. I also wondered you'd like to see a familiar face after all those days surrounded by men and children._

_Lady Larra Blackmont_

Remembering the lady's promise to visit her to see how she handled living among snakes, a shiver run up Lyanna's spine. She was sure she could handle a visit from the heir of Blackmont, but wasn't sure she wanted to, especially because she didn't know what to expect of it. Sarella's cries took her out of her own thoughts and she went back into her room, leaving the letters on the table to move the cradle and put her back to sleep.

* * *

Oberyn walked into her room not long after, wearing nothing but a pair of britches. Lyanna had to take her eyes way from him, for it had been a while since she had seen her husband that naked, and even if she was glad he had given her space and hadn't forced himself upon her like someone else would have - _like Robert would have_ , a voice whispered in the back of her mind-, sometimes she wondered if he ever thought of her in that way. Sarella was already awake and the prince sat next to Lyanna on the bed before picking his daughter up from her arms with a smile. The she-wolf looked at him as he lay back on the bed, resting Sarella on his chest. The baby's little hands closed around her father's fingers, making Lyanna smile.

"I received some letters." She informed him after a moment of silence and he moved his head to look at her with a frown "Do you know why Larra Blackmont is coming to visit me?"

He laughed, and Sarella moved in his chest but didn't seem to care about it.

"Knowing her, she's probably curious about you. I don't think she's ever met a northerner before." He said, trying to put whatever worries she had away. He tried to remember the brief time that Larra had spent with them while they crossed the desert, and wondered what had been that had made her want to visit them again so soon. He just hoped she wasn't interested in Lyanna because even if the idea was amusing, he wasn't sure how his wife would react, and he knew Larra could be a little too passionate at times.

His answer, though, seemed to be enough for Lyanna, who stood from the bed to pick a couple of letters from the table and then walked back to him. Handing them to Oberyn, she took Sarella from his arms. The baby just giggled.

"Those are from the capital." She didn't look at him and that scared the prince, who reached for the pieces of papers.

She watched his face go from curious to concerned as he read both Elia's and Arthur's letters and when he looked up at her again his gaze had darkened and he was clenching his teeth.

"I told her, you know?" He said "After Rhaenys was born…she spent so much time in bed. I have studied at the Citadel, I almost forged a chain, and I know what could happen. I told her but she wouldn't listen"

"You think Arthur is right, then?" She asked, moving Sarella's hand away from her hair and making sure she couldn't reach it again by sitting her on her lap.

Oberyn nodded.

"She could die, Lyanna." He stated and she wasn't surprised to find sadness in his voice. His tone changed with his next statement, though "Not that her bloody husband would care, of course"

She wasn't surprised by the hatred in his voice. She had already seen that Oberyn didn't like Rhaegar, even if she wasn't sure why it was, because, in the time she had spent with them, she hadn't seen the crown prince treating her sister-in-law badly. She guessed it was his brotherly love for Elia that made him so protective. It reminded her of Brandon.

"A king needs an heir." She whispered but added "They have Rhaenys, if he loves Elia, it should be enough"

Oberyn snorted.

"They'd never let a woman sit the Iron Throne. Stupid bastards. They'd probably give the throne to Viserys before giving it to Rhaenys"

Letting the letters on the bed he took his daughter back and carried her to her cradle, knowing that his wife's eyes were on him, but not sure of what she was thinking.

"A daughter comes before a brother" she reminded him after a moment, like he didn't know.

"King's Landing is not Dorne" Oberyn replied sitting back next to her and Lyanna shook her head.

"The North isn't either, but if I had been my father's only child I would have been his heir, not some Karstark cousin or some other distant relative." She was the one to snort that time "Loyalty shouldn't be commanded by a cock"

The red viper smirked at her and his dark eyes lingered in her grey ones for longer than they had before. It looked like he was going to say something, but the door opened.

"I'm sorry, princess." Maiah apologized, looking down and blushing, and Lyanna could only imagine what exactly she was thinking she had interrupted.

"It's fine, Maiah. What is it?"

"Lady Larra Blackmont just arrived. She says you are expecting her"

Lyanna looked down at her clothes. She wasn't sure it was proper to meet a lady when she was dressed as a stable boy. Almost as if he had read her mind, Oberyn put a hand in hers.

"Take your time to change. I'll handle her" she nodded and he bent to kiss her cheek before standing and leaving the room, walking past her maid, who didn't dare to look at him but smirked at her feet.

Once Oberyn was gone, Maiah moved to pick up some of Lyanna's dresses and, after a moment of discussion, Lyanna chose to wear a dress of dornish cut. It was the colour of the morning sky and seemed to float around her when she walked. The neckline was deeper than she might have wanted and parts of her back were exposed, but she still felt beautiful wearing it. Maiah put a chain of silver decorated with direwolves around her waist and Lyanna smiled, reaching for Brandon's ring, which she always wore around her neck. After a moment of doubt, she helped the maid comb her hair into a braid and let it fall down her right shoulder.

"You are beautiful, princess." The maid smiled and Lyanna nodded, thanking her.

"Will you take Sarella to the nursery?" She asked the maid "I'd like you to watch over her for a while"

Maiah smiled at her, visibly proud of the trust Lyanna placed on her.

"Of course." She nodded and the she-wolf walked out of the room, taking a deep breath.

Larra and Oberyn were down on the gardens, and Tyene, Arianne and Nymeria played with some other children not away from them. She could see some other people around that she assumed had arrived with the lady Blackmont. Larra smiled at her when she walked closer. The dress she wore was not much different from Lyanna's, even if it definitely left more exposed skin and was the colour of the full moon, and her brunette locks fell gracefully down her back and shoulders, softly caressing her olive skin. The lady's hazel eyes were kind when they met Lyanna's.

"Lady Larra," the she-wolf smiled back at her "I was surprised to receive your letter"

"I hope it was a nice surprise. I do want us to be friends"

"Why?" Lyanna asked, and was surprised when Larra laughed, looking back at Oberyn.

"She doesn't trust me. Good" looking back at Lyanna again she moved closer to entangle the Stark's arm with her "I love a challenge"

"Worry not, dear," Oberyn smirked at his wife "She is harmless"

Lyanna walked away from him with Larra as he laughed behind them.

"Would you offer me some food, darling? I'm bloody starving. "The dornish lady asked her as they walked inside the palace and Lyanna was thankful about the change on her tone. She wasn't sure she could be friends with someone who spoke to her like she was a princess instead of speaking to her for who she was.

"It'd be my pleasure." The she-wolf nodded and sent a servant to bring them lunch as soon as they got to her chambers.

"I see your skin is more tanned than the last time I saw you." Larra smirked, sitting at the head of the table and Lyanna observed her for a moment. Her statement was true, though. Even if she'd still burn her cheeks at times, her skin was not as pale as it used to be, although she knew that it would never be as coloured as her husband's. Sometimes it was fun to see that Nymeria and Tyene were the ones who looked more like her.

"I guess I'm getting used to the dornish sun." She sat next to Larra, aware of the lady's eyes on her "I really don't understand why you are here, Larra"

The Blackmont's hazel eyes didn't move away from her grey ones, but her smile came back, and she leaned on her chair, moving closer to Lyanna.

"This may surprise you," she started with a sarcastic tone "but dornish people do not like outsiders. Some of my friends have expressed their worry about the fact that a northerner lady is now the wife of one of our princes'"

"Did they express the same worry when Doran married Mellario of Norvos?" Lyanna spat back "Or is it just me that worry's them?"

"Do not get angry at me, sweetheart. I like you, really. That's why I told them there was nothing to worry about, but most of them want to meet you" her right hand rested on Lyanna's arm, and in her eyes the princess saw that she was telling her the truth, but that didn't make her anger fade. She just couldn't believe that there'd be people arguing if she was or was not worthy of being a princess.

"That'll have to wait." She said "Oberyn and I are planning on visiting Elia soon, after all. Tell them that Princess Lyanna Nymeros Martell of House Stark sends her regards and her most sincere apologies"

Some servants walked inside the room and let the food on the table in front of them as Larra laughed. Taking a sip of the wine they had just served her, the lady smiled at Lyanna right after the princess dismissed the servants and they were left alone of the room again.

"I knew I was right about you." She said, making the she-wolf wonder if she'd ever be able to tell whether or not she was mocking her.

* * *

Larra spent over a week with them, as Oberyn and Lyanna started preparing for their journey, and during that time Lyanna learnt that the heir to Blackmont had been one of Elia's ladies-in-waiting, but had left King's Landing when Queen Rhaella had tried to set her up with and old fat lord because she thought she needed to be put in check. When asked about what caused the Queen's decision, Larra just laughed, saying something about a scandal with a kitchen boy. The she-wolf couldn't say that she was surprised, for she had learnt enough about her already to say that she didn't look like the type of woman who would suppress her desires to bend to someone else's will. The truth was that, deep down, the princess found that praiseworthy. She left the day before Oberyn and Lyanna were to set sail to King's Landing, promising to visit them again as soon as Elia's baby was born and they went back home.

The morning of the departure, Lyanna found Nymeria crying on her room when she went to change herself after leaving Sarella with Mellario, who had promised to take good care of the babe.

"Hey, don't cry," The princess told her, pulling her into an embrace "there is no need to cry, little snake"

"But what if you decide that you don't want to come back?" Nym said between sobs "What if you are happier with them and you forget about us?"

That was the first time Lyanna saw how much the sand snake cared for her and, with a sad smile, she kindly kissed the top of her hair.

"That is not going to happen." And yet her words didn't seem to sooth the little girl. Smiling, she had an idea "I'll tell you what we'll do." She smiled at her and stood up to search inside her casket, which was ready for their trip, and put out a dagger, showing it to Nymeria, who eyed her with curiosity "This was a gift, given to me by my brother Brandon on my name day two years ago. I'll leave it here, at your care, trusting that you won't take it out of its scabbard. That way, you can be certain I'll come back for it"

Nymeria's face seemed to bright up a little and, after drying her tears with the back of her hand, she took the dagger between her little hands before clutching it to her chest.

"I will keep it safe" she promised and Lyanna kissed her forehead.

There were also tears when they said their goodbyes to Tyene, who hugged his father like she didn't want to ever let him go. Oberyn made sure to make her understand that they'd be home soon and that they were only going to visit Aunt Elia. Obara didn't make much of a fuss, she bid them farewell and nodded at them, not even moving to hug Oberyn, but there was a light in her eyes that Lyanna couldn't understand.

As soon as the _Queen Nymeria_ left the shore, Lyanna felt uneasy, realizing for the first time that she had no idea what the capital was like, or if the others lords and ladies that were part of Aerys Targaryen's court would welcome them with the happiness that Elia would.


	23. The Red Keep

It was Ashara Dayne who was waiting for Oberyn and Lyanna as the descended from their ship, not Rhaegar Targaryen, as had been expected, and Lyanna thanked the Old Gods for it. Oberyn's mood had darkened as they got closer to the capital and his wife knew that it was due to his preoccupation for Elia's safety. And it was the Crown Prince he blamed for Elia's condition as it was him who had pushed her to have another child even if he knew of what could happen to his wife, which made Oberyn focus his anger on him. The lady of Starfall greeted them with smiles and hugs even if her eyes, sad and tired, betrayed her happiness. It made Oberyn worry even further.

"My sister" Oberyn asked as they ascended through the shore and to the city. Some guards -Gold cloaks, Lyanna noticed- joined them, but said nothing, merely shielding them in case something happened.

"She is fine, Obe." Ashara shook her head, her raven hair floating around her as she spoke "Tired but alright. She may not be able to get up from the bed for long but she is happy"

As they started walking up Aegon's Hill, Lyanna didn't pay attention to Oberyn's answer, her mouth opening and closing several times at the sight of the palace before her. The Red Keep was made of pale red stone and had seven massive drum-towers crowned with iron ramparts, with massive curtain walls surrounding the keep, with nests and crenelations for archers. It was so big that Lyanna wondered if Aegon the Conqueror had been trying to make up for something or if he had just been an asshole who believed himself better than everyone else. Well, she thought, he had conquered Westeros saying that he was the only one with the right to rule over the Seven Kingdom's so, she guessed, that spoke levels about him. Then again, everyone knew that all the Targaryens danced close to madness.

"Big castle, yeah, but not that large. Winterfell was bigger." Ashara noted when she noticed her expression "I preferred it when Elia and Rhaegar lived at Dragonstone, to be honest. At least we were away from court life, but the prince insists on remaining close to his father these days"

"Because he is mad?" Oberyn asked her, not even lowering his voice, even if they had just walked inside the square that lead to the entrance of the castle.

Elia's lady-in-waiting elbowed him in the ribs.

"Careful." She warned "The walls have ears"

Ashara guided them through the Keep and Lyanna was sure she'd get lost if she ever wandered those corridors on her own. As they climbed the stairs of Maegor's Holdfast, Oberyn seemed to cheer a bit.

"Uncle" The Red Viper greeted Ser Lewyn Martell, who was guarding the princess' door.

"I'm not your uncle anymore, don't you remember?" The white knight joked and hugged him with affection anyway.

_I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness._ The vow of the Night's Watch came to Lyanna as she watched both Martells, knowing that the promise of the white knights was not much different of that of the black brother's. She couldn't stop thinking, though, that they were rumours that said Lewyn had a mistress. If the Martell prince was anything like his nephew, Lyanna was sure the rumours were true.

"Princess" he made a little reverence at her and the she-wolf didn't even try to correct him, for he had already made clear, back at Winterfell, that he was not going to address her by just her name because he found it too informal.

Ashara was the one to open the door to the chamber, with Oberyn and Lyanna at her heels. Elia, who was laying on the bed, made a gesture to Arthur and the knight hurried to help her sit on the bed, making sure she didn't make much effort. He was, once again, not wearing his armour, but Lyanna saw _Dawn_ resting at Elia's bedside.

"Elia" Oberyn hurried to her side, sitting next to her, and kissed her cheek.

"He has been worrying, hasn't he?" Elia asked Lyanna when her sister-in-law leaned to hug her and kiss her.

"You know him well" the Stark laughed and was happy when Elia smiled.

Ashara had already seated at the table, tired herself but trying not to let it show. Picking some of the food the servants had brought for Elia but that the princess had barely touched, she served them on a plate for herself.

"Lyanna?" She called "Are you hungry?"

"Thirsty" the she-wolf replied and walked closer to her. Taking a jar, Ashara poured some water for Lyanna, and the princess smiled when she gave her the cup, drinking it quickly.

"Did you enjoy the journey?" Elia asked from the bed, looking at her sister-in-law.

The Stark nodded.

"It was good. I must ask, though, why does the city stink so much?"

Arthur's laugh caught Lyanna by surprise, like it always did, but wasn't entirely unwelcomed. The white knight shared a look with his sister, still laughing, and it was Elia who answered the question.

"The king doesn't care much for the wellbeing of the citizens of King's Landing, I'm afraid." Turning to her sworn sword she frowned "And I do not believe you should laugh about it"

"Leave him be, sis." Oberyn smirked at his friend, even if he was addressing Elia, before turning to Lyanna "Told you King's Landing was not the city you had read about in your books"

"That you did, yes." His wife smiled, sitting next to Ashara, who stared at them without interrupting, feeling nausea rise inside of her. She excused herself a moment later, leaving the chambers.

Lyanna frowned at Elia's expression upon Ashara's departure but said didn't have time to say anything as Oberyn turned to her again with a smile.

"Would you like to see the Iron Throne?"

Her eyes opened wide, certain that he knew the answer to that, for he had, after all, been present as Lyanna attended Tyene and Nymeria's history lessons, and had seen how much she loved hearing the stories.

"Can I?" Her question was to Elia, not to her husband "Would the King allow me?"

"The King is not at the Great Hall." Elia promised and something in her tone made Lyanna shiver as she remembered that Aerys was said to be cruel and mad "And I'm sure Arthur would love to take you there"

When the sword of the morning turned to the princess his gaze had darkened.

"I'm on watch, Elia"

"Oberyn won't leave my side." Elia replied "And it wasn't a request"

Even though her tone had been harsh, she smiled widely at her friend, who stood up and, after taking Dawn from where it rested, bowed before her.

"As your grace commands" he said. Lyanna was already at the door when he turned to her and she opened it for him.

Arthur made sure Lewyn knew that he'd not be away for long before escorting Lyanna down the hall. They walked in silence for a while until the Stark turned to him, frowning.

"Is Ashara alright?"

"Yes." He answered, maybe too quickly and it made Lyanna smile sadly.

"You know, just say you don't want to tell me, but don't lie to me. I hate liars"

He seemed surprised by her answer and eyed her for a moment before giving her a wide smile.

"Alright, she-wolf" Arthur nodded, his violet eyes, so alike his sister's, meeting her grey ones "I would love to tell you what troubles my sister, but I think she'd be angry if I did. You should ask her"

"I will." Lyanna promised "I consider her a sister, she knows that, and if there is anything I can do to help her, then I shall"

She smiled up at him and the knight guided her through another hall before stopping in front of the closed door of the throne room. He greeted the guards by their names and they answered in kind, opening the door for them. As soon as Arthur and Lyanna walked inside, the Stark held her breath, marvelled. The throne was breath-taking indeed and Lyanna thought again that Aegon Targaryen must have been an arrogant man, but it wasn't just that which surprised her, but the dragon skull's decorating the walls of the Hall. She knew those closest to the Throne were the dragons that had died during Aegon III Targaryen's reign and the reason why that king was known as the Dragonbane, but those closest to the door, were magnificent and big and Lyanna could only imagine how mighty they had been when they had lived and how powerful Aegon, Visenya and Rhaenys must have felt on top of them. She moved closer to one of them, her hand reaching up to touch the skull, but stopped midway when a voice came from behind her.

"That's Vhagar" the crown prince informed, walking inside the room with Jaime Lannister at his side.

Lyanna turned to him and both she and Arthur made a reverence before Rhaegar. He waved his hand at them, almost like he considered it unnecessary, and then turned to Arthur.

"I thought you were with my wife"

"The princess ordered me to show princess Lyanna around. Ser Lewyn remains with her, though. As does prince Oberyn"

Rhaegar's smile seemed to bright up the whole room.

"She is safe then." His purple eyes went back to Lyanna, but she was giving them her back again, focused on studying the dragon skulls, and she didn't notice "Maybe you'd like to see the Godswood, princess." Rhaegar called for her.

"There is no need for his grace to bother himself with walking me around the palace. I'm sure you must have duties that need your attention."

"Please." Rhaegar insisted and, knowing that it wouldn't be nice to refuse the crown prince's offering once again, she nodded.

As they walked out of the palace and down to the gardens, while Rhaegar told Lyanna about the construction of King's Landing and the Red Keep, Arthur found himself unable to take his eyes away from the princess, worried.

* * *

"Benjen!" Brandon called again.

Hanging from one of the towers, Benjen didn't even look down at his brother and kept on climbing until he reached the top. Once on top of the tower, he sat comfortably and waved his hand as his brother while Brandon, still on the courtyard, rolled his eyes and told Ned that he was done trying to catch him. Eddard could do nothing but smile. Benjen had run away after Brandon had told him there was no way they were going to allow him to join the Night's Watch and the eldest Stark had spent the whole morning trying to catch him but, sadly for Brandon, Benjen was faster and knew Winterfell better than he did, which meant that the heir of Winterfell had not been able to reach him yet.

_Lyanna would have_ , Ned thought. Their sister was, after all, the only other person who knew every inch of Winterfell as well as Benjen did from all of the times they had played on the castle when they were children. Nan would often say that it was their maternal grandmother's blood that made Lyanna and Benjen climb so foolishly, not that they cared. Ned remembered a time when Benjen had told Nan that he couldn't be prouder of that fact.

Shaking his head, Eddard walked inside the castle again, following Brandon.

"He knows I'm leaving to Riverun in a few days and yet he can't stop teasing me and behaving like a child." Brandon protested.

"You sound like father. He is young, let him be." Ned shook his head. "You are only going to marry, Bran, you'll be back soon enough. I'm the one who is leaving for a while"

As they walked to Brandon's chambers, the eldest Stark turned to his little brother and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You are leaving to the Eyrie again, then?"

Ned nodded.

"I am. It's been a while since I last saw Jon and I want to get to talk to Robert again."

Brandon nodded. Ned and Lyanna hadn't told any of their relatives about the incident with Robert the last day of the Tourney, knowing that Brandon would have surely killed Robert which wouldn't have been good for the friendship between House Stark and House Baratheon, and Eddard hadn't really been talking to his friend since then but when Jon Arryn had written to him asking him to accompany them at the Eyrie, he hadn't been able to say no.

* * *

Lyanna was already having dinner at the chambers that had been prepared for her and her husband when Oberyn came back from spending the day with Elia. He smiled at her before sitting at her right and stealing some of her food. Lyanna rolled her eyes for, at times, the red viper of Dorne was even worse than his daughters.

"You didn't come back." He noted, a question dancing on his lips.

"Prince Rhaegar insisted on showing me the Godswood and then he showed me around the castle. I didn't really know how to get rid of him until Jaime Lannister reminded him that he had to go meet Queen Rhaella for dinner." She explained.

Her mind travelled back at the way Arthur had been looking at her, like he had wanted to tell her something but had been to uncertain, or too scared, to open his mouth. She wondered if it had anything to do with their talk about Ashara or if it was about something else. She focused back on Oberyn when he made a face and decided to take his mind off of thoughts about the crown prince.

"How was Elia?"

That didn't seem to be any better. His obsidian eyes moved away from her and he reached for a cup of wine, giving it a long sip, before answering.

"She's confident. She believes she can make it"

"Then you must believe it too. It will help her to remember why she must hold on to life if anything goes south during the birth." She had helped women of her service during childbirth, as had her mother before her, and knew enough of it to understand that, sometimes, the love of her family could make the woman come back from the grasp of death. "I don't think you need to worry, though. Her health might be delicate but I think I know her enough to say her spirit is strong. Seems to be a trait you Martells share."

Oberyn reached for her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss it, and then smiled at her kindly.

"Thank you for doing this. For caring for Elia."

Lyanna frowned at him, surprised.

"You expected me not to care about your family? They are my family too now and a wolf protects its pack."

Letting go of her hand, Oberyn moved to caress her cheek.

"You really are one of a kind, aren't you, Lyanna Stark?"

"Idiot." His wife muttered, but her grey eyes lingered in his dark ones for a moment longer before she turned to her food again and he could see how her body sifted, moving a little closer to his chair. A part of him wanted to lean and kiss her, but he decided against it, wanting to wait for her to want him.

They finished their supper as Lyanna asked Oberyn about the rumours that said his uncle had a mistress and he confided her with the secret of who the lady was.


	24. Fallen star

Lyanna was a little sad she hadn't get to meet Lyssene Hightower, mostly because she wanted to know the woman who had managed to make a white knight fall for her, but Oberyn told her Elia's lady-in-waiting had left only days before their arrival to join her parents on their family home. No one really knew why it was, but Elia had confided her brother that it had probably been per Queen Rhaella's request, just like Larra Blackmont's departure. If Lewyn Martell was angry or upset about it, he had not let it show in front of his nephew.

It was strange to share her bed, used as she was to sleeping alone, but Oberyn didn't really bother her, furthermore, when they got to bed, she hadn't known that she was cold until he had hug her and warmed her up. He wasn't next to her when she woke up, though, but already sitting at the table and breaking his fast. Still on the bed, she groaned at him.

"Is that how you Starks say good morning?"

"It is. Had you not noticed?"

Lyanna didn't move from the bed, barely reacting when Oberyn sat next to her, while she remained with her eyes closed. When he didn't move, she opened her grey eyes, making a face, and looking at him.

"Are you going to stay in bed all day?" The prince asked and she moved in bed to face him.

"I don't really have anything else to do. But not all day, I wish to speak to Ashara." Oberyn frowned at that but said nothing, letting her speak. "Would you give Elia my regards?"

He nodded.

"Of course" Standing to leave the room, he made his way to the door before turning to his wife again. "Would you like me to tell the servants to prepare you a bath?"

"My hero." She nodded before hiding her face on the pillows again.

She wasn't sure how much time it went by before two women walked into the room, in silence and without bothering her, and started filling the tub at the other side of the room.

"My lady." One of them called for her not long after. "The bath is ready."

Sitting on the bed, Lyanna smiled at them, nodding.

"You may leave now, thank you."

They looked at each other before bowing their heads and leaving the room, and Lyanna wasn't sure why. Maybe they were just not used to people thanking them for their help. Standing from the bed, she took off her nightgown before crossing the room and getting inside the tub. The water was warm and she stayed there even after she had finished cleaning herself, just enjoying the feeling.

Even in the safety of her chambers, inside Magor's Holdfast, on the Red Keep, the smell of dirt and dregs from the city easily reached her, and she rubbed her nose. She still couldn't understand how the king would let his subjects live like that. Even if Lyanna had not met the king, and didn't want to after all she had heard about him, she had spent enough time with his son to know that, at least, the prince worried about his people, even though his mood changes troubled her. Rhaegar had been nice to her the previous day, showing her the Godswood and the gardens of the Red Keep, as well as some parts of the castle, but she had not liked the way he would suddenly stop talking to stare at her, or how his voice sifted at times, making her shiver. She had thought about it the night before, but decided that her mind was surely to blame and that she probably had imagined things.

The Stark got out of the tub when the water turned cold, reaching for a towel to dry her body. She hadn't want to have servants to help her get dress or do her hair, telling Oberyn that she didn't like strangers and that she was more than capable of getting ready on her own, and enjoying the silence around her as she put on one of her grey dresses with dark embroidery, she knew she had made the right choice. It took her a little longer than she would have wanted to manage to braid her hair, but when she was done she stood and walked out of the room, letting the braid fall over her right shoulder.

She found Ashara's chambers easily. They were on the same floor as hers, at the end of the corridor, next to the nursery where Elia's baby would reside once he was born. The princess' rooms, on the other hand, were a level below theirs, next to her husband's. She knocked on the door twice.

"Ashara? May I come in?"

"Hold on." Her friend's voice reached her from behind the closed door and Lyanna waited.

It still took the lady Dayne a couple of minutes to open the door, which worried her friend. Lyanna's worry only grew when Ashara let her in. The dornish lady looked sick.

"Are you alright?" Her hand moved to touch Ashara's forehead, as though she wanted to check if she had a fiver but the lady took it, her violet eyes meeting Lyanna's grey ones as she gave the she-wolf a tired smile. Ashara held Lyanna's hand between hers and led her further inside the room, gesturing for her to sit on a chair and sitting next to her. "You are scaring me, Ash. Are you ill?"

"I'm not." She assured, taking a deep breath, and it was obvious that she was struggling to find the right words. "Lya…I'm pregnant."

At first, Lyanna didn't quite grasp the meaning of her words, and it took her a moment to react. It took her yet another moment to figure out who the father of the baby could be, knowing that there had only been one man Ashara had been interested in lately.

"Ned?" She asked, her heart pounding on her chest with the strength of a dothraki army. Ashara nodded and her eyes got wet. "Well, that's great! Does he know?"

"No, I…I haven't talked to him in a while." She confessed. "I didn't know how he'd react. It was…it was only once, and I don't want to make him feel tied to me or anything."

Lyanna shook her head.

"Tied to you? Ashara, my brother loves you." She stated. "I do feel a little angry because he didn't tell me that something had happened between the two of you, though."

"He did say something about not wanting to defile my honour." The lady smiled, and this time it was a real smile, not a sad one.

"Write to him." Lyanna insisted and only after Ashara nodded and promised her she would did she allow herself to smile at her again. "I'm going to be an aunt!" She giggled, making Ashara laugh.

"Yes, I guess you are." She moved to grab a jar full of water and poured some on a cup for herself. Taking a sip, she addressed Lyanna again. "I've heard you have managed to get along with the little snakes."

The she-wolf laughed, nodding.

"They are not as bad as you make them sound. Obara is a little hard to talk to sometimes, but it's understandable after how she grew up. I must admit I was sad to leave the littlest ones, they have all the sweetness of an apple on the tree."

Ashara smiled.

"Oberyn did mention that Nymeria was crazy about you. He seemed happy about it." She confessed. "And I'm glad you are getting along with the girls so well."

"Yes, you could say that Nymeria is my favourite." Lyanna laughed, still holding her friends hands.

She spent the rest of the morning with Ashara, and even if they had a good time, Lyanna was a little disappointed because she didn't get the lady to tell her about how exactly and when had Ned and her become _that_ close. There was something on the lady's voice when she spoke of Ned, something on the way her violet eyes looked down every time she said his name, almost as if it was something to be cherished, that made Lyanna smile. She had never imagined the dornish lady to be a shy one, and yet, in spite of all her confidence, she blushed like a maiden as she spoke of her unborn child's father. _It must be love_ , Lyanna thought.

She bumped into her husband on the stairs, as she made her way up Maegor's Holdfast, and almost crashed against him.

"You look bad." She noticed. Oberyn's tunic was covered in dirt and there was a cut on his left arm, and even if it didn't look deep she worried for a moment that it might get infected. "What happened?"

"One of Rhaegar's squires, some Velaryon boy whose name I don't even know, thought that he could beat me on a spar." He explained as they got into their chamber. "So, I told him to try."

"Of course you did." She smiled, rolling her eyes while Oberyn removed his tunic, tossing it away.

He moved to grab a piece of cloth to clean the blood from his arm to get a better look at the wound, but it was he couldn't reach it properly. His wife stared at him, arms crossed in front of her chest, wondering how long it'd take him to ask for help. It didn't take much.

"Could you give me hand?"

Shaking her head, Lyanna filled a bowl with water and then sat next to him, wetting the cloth and cleaning the wound.

"So, you fought the squire." She guessed and her husband nodded.

"I did. And I won. But the little bastard cut me when I turned around." He smirked, his dark eyes glowing when he looked at her. "I believe he lost some of his teeth when I punched him in return."

She shook her head again, putting the piece of cloth away.

"Well, congratulations, my lord, you got yourself a new scar."

"It's _your highness_ , actually." Oberyn replied. "I know I never corrected you before, but I'm a prince, not a lord, so…"

He wasn't surprised when she elbowed him, hitting him on the ribs, but it did not hurt him, for she had not put all her strength on the blow. Her smile died after a moment, though, and Oberyn saw how her grey eyes turned cold for a moment.

"Oberyn…Did you know about Ashara?"

The Red Viper frowned, shaking his head.

"Ashara? What about her?"

Lyanna seemed to relax, and she gave him a sad smile.

"I just thought that maybe Elia had told you and I wanted to make sure you hadn't kept it from me." Seeing the question dancing on his eyes, she added. "Ashara is expecting Ned's child. She just told me."

Much to her surprise, Oberyn laughed.

"Well, I never really thought your brother had it in himself."

She made to stand, not wanting to answer his pun, but the prince caught her wrists, making her turn back to him. When he slid his hands up, his fingers drawing patterns on her forearms, she noticed once again the striking contrast of his dark skin against her pale one.

"I would have told you, if I had known." He promised. "I'm not a liar and I don't keep secrets from family."

"Good." Lyanna smiled, and was stopped by her husband once again when she tried to turn. Standing to stare down into her grey eyes, he gave the Stark a smirk that she was sure had made many people tremble. But it didn't scare her.

"You don't have anywhere to be right now, do you, my lady?" Oberyn teased her, seeing how her gaze darkened as he stared at her with a wolfish grin.

She surprised him when she didn't move away. Maybe, he thought, he should have known better than to challenge a wolf.

"No, as a matter of fact I don't. And it's _your highness_ , actually." Standing on her tiptoes, the she-wolf moved her hand to the back of his neck and pressed her lips against his. Smiling through the kiss, Oberyn moved his right arm around her waist, pulling her closer to his body.


	25. The prince that was promised

If anyone had told her when she first arrived at Harrenhal that months later she would be in the position that she now was with none other than the Red Viper of Dorne, she would have laughed in their face and would have called them insane, and would have probably kicked their ass with Benjen's help for daring to suggest such a thing. And yet, as her husband's hands caressed her body, she knew that she'd rather be exactly where she was rather than with Robert in Storm's End or with her soon to be sister-in-law in Riverrun. She put those thoughts aside as Oberyn made her sit up, pulling her roughly against him with his right hand as his mouth met hers. He kissed her deeply, as Lyanna moaned in his mouth from how deep he was inside of her, and moved his hand, pressing it against the top of her ass, encouraging her movements.

The prince laid back as his hips thrust into her, his obsidian eyes bright with emotion and never leaving her grey ones, and reached between them to touch her. She panted, struggling to speak as his fingers kept on working on her, causing her to fall forward, shattering into a thousand pieces above him.

"Lyanna" he whispered, the words he muttered after through clenched teeth becoming less and less coherent with each thrust, until finally, he found his release.

The red viper held her for a couple of moments, as they both fought to regain their breaths, and then she moved to the side, wondering if any of the servants had heard them. Oberyn rolled to the side in order to kiss her, moving a hand to stroke her cheek. He had known that she would be a fierce one the first time he had shared her bed, even if she had been more shy around him back then, but he had not imagine how much. She still had much to learn, this she-wolf of his, and he would enjoy helping her dearly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, knowing that it could be hard for her to adjust.

Lyanna smirked at her husband.

"Of course I am. Why, husband? Are you worried you don't have the ability to satisfy your wife?"

Oberyn groaned at her, his gaze darkening as he tightened his grip on her waist and she laughed at him.

The sound of her laugh vibrated through him and he pressed her against the mattress, kissing her again, as her fingers tangled on his hair. When she bit his lower lip, he pulled away to look at her, only to find that her grey eyes were also full of emotion. Giving Oberyn a wolfish grin, Lyanna rolled them on the bed so she was on top of him, and straddled him again.

 

* * *

 

Ned had been sitting on his room without being able to move since the moment he had read the letter that Maester Luwin had given him. At first he had assumed that it'd be Lyanna's, for he had not heard of his sister in a while, but the seal of the letter was not the direwolf of House Stark, not even the sun and the spear of House Martell, but the falling star and the sword of House Dayne. Ashara had spent weeks without writing to him and a cold shiver had run up his spine when he had seen it. At first, he had been terrified to open it, and when he had, he had frozen.

_My beloved Ned,_

_I'm so sorry for my silence, I really am, and I know that there is no easy way to excuse myself for not talking to you before. But I was scared, my darling, I really was and I still am. I'm not sure if you know this, but your sister is staying with us right now, and I must admit that I don't know if I would have been brave enough to tell you this if it hadn't been for her. I am with child, Ned. I need you to know that I won't expect anything from you, I know of your father plans for a southern alliance and I'm sure Dayne is not the House he would see his son married to. Bastards are not a shame in Dorne and my family will give us shelter at Starfall. I shall love this child as much as I love you, I hope you know this._

_I think you'd like to know that Lyanna seems happy with her new life. I know you were worried Dorne would not suit her but Elia tells me that Oberyn's little girls are delighted with her, and Oberyn and she seem to enjoy each other's company. It may not be love, but a good friendship is better than nothing._

_I will understand if you do not answer this letter._

_Always yours,_

_Ash_

Still holding the piece of paper between his hands, he begged in silence for the Old Gods to tell him what to do. He wanted to go to his father, to demand Rickard Stark to allow him to marry Ashara, because he knew that he had to do right by her and that he had to give a name to the child that she was expecting. But he also knew that he had a duty to his family, to his father and lord, and that he had to answer to him before answering to anybody else. But wasn't Ashara's honour more important than his own? He was, after all, the reason why she was now in trouble, and the child she was carrying was of his blood. With the letter still in his hand, he stood up and walked out of his room, clenching the piece of paper on a tight grip.

Eddard found his father on the main hall, with Brandon. They were discussing Brandon's wedding, for his brother was leaving for Riverrun the following morning to marry Lady Catelyn Tully.

"May I have a word, father?" He asked, and his father raised his hand toward him, almost as if he was going to tell him to wait, but Ned wasn't going to. "Brandon's travel plans can wait. This cannot."

His eldest brother turned to him, frowning, but upon seeing the distress on his little brother's features he turned to their father.

"It's fine, father, Ned is right, I can wait."

Once Brandon was gone, and still holding onto Ashara's letter, Ned turned to his father, struggling with what to say. After a moment of silence in which Lord Stark stared at his son waiting for what he had to say, Eddard sighed.

"Lady Ashara Dayne of Starfall is pregnant with my child, father, which is why I must ask you once again to allow me to marry her." His father didn't answer, and he continued. "I know that your attempts to betroth me to Cersei Lannister of Casterly Rock have been futile. There is no reason for you to keep Ashara and I apart for longer."

Lord Rickard nodded.

"You love her."

"I do." Ned smiled, the memory of Ashara's lovely violet eyes dancing on his mind.

"Very well. Send her a raven and promise her both her and her child will be taken care of." Rickard smiled back at his son, whose face lit up upon hearing his father's words. "You shall marry her after your brother comes back home with Catelyn."

Ned nodded and, after a moment of hesitation, moved forward to hug his father. Rickard returned the embrace, wondering when had his children grow up that much, and then saw his son leave the room in silence.

 

* * *

 

Hours later, Oberyn and Lyanna were still lying on their bed, tangled in one another, when someone started knocking on their door urgently. Lyanna, who had fallen asleep, opened her eyes and gave a little jump as her husband got out of the bed, putting on a pair of britches before opening the door.

"It's Elia, Obe. The child is coming." Arthur's voice reached Lyanna and she moved quickly out of the bed, knowing that the white knight couldn't see her from the doorstep, reaching for a pain of britches and then putting on one of Oberyn's tunics, not even caring about how see may look to others.

Oberyn had already run out of the room when she moved to the door after putting on her boots. Arthur looked at her with sadness inside his blue eyes, and if he found her appearance unusual or strange he did not show it.

"It's too soon." Dayne told her as they walked down the stairs and Lyanna noticed that his hands were trembling.

She reached to put a hand on his shoulder and Arthur smiled down at her, kindly.

"It doesn't mean that she won't make it." The Stark assured him and even if he wanted to disagree with her, he didn't want to make her lose her optimism.

There were no screams as they walked down the corridor, and that could be both good and bad. It could mean that things were going good, and that the maester was having no trouble helping Elia bringing her child into the world, but it could also mean that the princess had no strength to make any kind of sound. When a maid opened the door to let both Arthur and her inside the room, the first thing Lyanna noticed was the overwhelming heat filling the room, coming with no doubt from the fireplace on the far side of the chamber. There were at least eight people on the room, Oberyn and Ashara among them, and they were all too busy on a heated discussion.

"Get out of here!" Oberyn roared at the maester, pushing him away from Elia's bed, and making sure that he could not bleed her as he had been trying to do. "She can't even breathe with all of you here and you will make her go insane with all your bickering! Out! Now!"

The maids didn't even dare to challenge him, and walked past Arthur and Lyanna on their way out, their eyes never rising from the floor. Ashara knelt next to Elia, who was slowly losing conscience, and kissed her cheek before turning to Oberyn, her beautiful face twisted and looking like she was sick.

"I can't stand the smell." She apologized. "I'm sorry."

Her brother kissed her forehead before she hurried out of the room, leaving only Oberyn, Arthur and Lyanna with the maester.

"This is a work for a master." The man screamed at Oberyn. "You can't be here."

Before the prince could reply, his wife moved forward, facing the man.

"You were about to make her bleed, which means you know how to handle this situation as much as a dog would. I don't trust you to help her and I won't have you here."

"The prince will not allow you to…" He started to protest but Oberyn grabbed his arm and pushed him out of the room as the maester kept on complaining.

"Sure, but Rhaegar is not here now, is he?" He closed the door and then turned to Arthur. "Open the window. She needs air."

The white knight did as he was told without questioning the orders as Lyanna sat next to Elia, who had fallen asleep, and put her hands on her belly. She could feel the life inside of her.

"The child is still alive." She informed. "What happened? How long has she been like this?"

Arthur moved a hand through his hair, worried.

"An hour, maybe."

"An hour? She has a fever, Arthur. Why didn't you come for me sooner?" Oberyn was raging, that much was obvious, but his caresses were soft and kind when he touched his sister's face and tried to wake her.

"The servants said you were busy." Arthur smirked and Lyanna wasn't able to look up at him, her cheeks turning red. "And it all happened too quickly. She fainted and Ashara warned us, but Elia was no longer conscious."

"Tell me what to do." Lyanna demanded her husband, who didn't seem to be hearing the white knight at all. After a moment, he nodded.

It was a long night and strength started failing Lyanna after a while. Elia awoke from her slumber suddenly, screaming from the pain, as the three of them struggled to save her life and the life of her yet to be born child, who was still kicking inside of her bomb, holding into life with such a passion that the she-wolf made herself believe they both were going to make it. But as time went by, that seemed more unlikely.

"You are going to have to open her." Arthur said with pain in his voice, but Oberyn shook his head.

"That would kill my sister and we are not losing her. Not for a Targaryen." He spat, making his wife wonder what would happen if Elia died and her child survived, and if the prince would hate the baby as much as he hated the father.

"No." She declared, trying to calm both of them. "We are going to save both of them."

The morning sun was already coming inside the room when Lyanna realised how much time had gone by, noticing for the first time that none of them had eating in hours. She was so exhausted she could barely move her hands anymore and Elia was crying as her child came into the world. Oberyn cursed as soon as he saw the baby. He was coming with his legs first and even if they tried, they could not move him.

"He'll die." Lyanna cried.

"Elia." Arthur took her hand. "You need to push."

The princess didn't seem to listen to him and her brother repeated Arthur's words, begging for his sister to use what little strength remained in her to save both her and her child.

"If you don't start pushing right now, your baby is going to die, Elia!" Lyanna roared, her sister-in-law's blood covering her arms entirely, as she tried once again to move the child, but she couldn't take him out of his mother's body without the princess' help.

Elia opened her eyes and reached for both Arthur and Oberyn, who remained each at one side of the bed, holding on to them to sit up on the bed, and push. Her scream was so loud it hurt her brother's ears, and so was her baby's cry. Lyanna smiled at her, taking the baby on her arms. There was no way for them to know if the child had broken Elia on the inside, but she silently prayed to the Old Gods that he hadn't and that they would both be safe and healthy.

"It's a boy." Arthur told the princes and Elia let herself fall back on the bed, tired and hurting.

Lyanna handed the boy to her husband, who took him between his arms and moved to clean the blood off of him, as Lyanna did the same with his mother, who was not as pale as she had been moments before and had tears all over her face.

"I must go tell Rhaegar." Arthur declared, giving a last squish to Elia's hand.

"Where was he, anyway, as his wife laid here fighting against death itself?" Lyanna asked him and the way Arthur looked down, rolling his eyes, didn't go unnoticed to her.

"Reading, surely, as he was when Rhaenys was born. The prince finds solace on his books."

When the white knight left the room, Oberyn walked back to the bed with Elia's child on his arms, and the baby's mother was barely able to lift one of her hands to caress her child's little legs. Still, as his sister fell asleep again, this time peacefully, the red viper smiled, before looking back at his wife, who was currently sitting on the chamber's floor, her hair falling on her face and the tunic she had taken from him covered in blood. Lyanna managed to smile back and Oberyn found that the blood she had all over her face and that made her resemble a warrior who had just ridden out of a long battle did nothing but make her look even more like a wolf.

 

* * *

 

Oberyn and Lyanna had left Elia's room as soon as Rhaegar arrived, even if it was obvious to the she-wolf that her husband didn't want to leave his sister's side, but she had managed to convince him by saying that they both needed a bath. She was sure he had misunderstood her words for an invitation to bathe with her, but she didn't bother to enlighten him on his mistake as they went back to their chambers. The servants had already prepared them a tub filled with warm water and Lyanna felt her knees tremble at the sight of it.

"Go on." Oberyn told her with a smile. "The sooner you get clean, the sooner you'll be able to sleep. And you deserve some sleep after what you've done."

She gave him her back to take off the tunic and quickly threw away her britches and her boots before getting inside the water. It was a stupid feeling, to feel shy around Oberyn, especially after having spent the best part of the previous day in bed with him. If it bothered him, he didn't say anything. The water turned red as soon as she started cleaning herself.

Her husband walked out to the balcony as she finished her bath, getting out of the tub and placing a towel around her body.

"Lyanna." Oberyn called for her. "Come, you have to see this."

"Give me a moment." She answered, not even turning to him as she reached for her smallclothes and then put on a nightgown.

Walking out to the balcony on her nightgown and with her wet up on a bun, she opened her mouth in awe as she turned her gaze on the direction Oberyn indicated her. There was a comet on the middle of the blue sky of the same colour as the blood that was still staining the red viper's clothes, with a long tail that appeared to cover half the sky.

"Why do stars fall?" Oberyn asked, more to himself than to her.

"Old Nan would tell you that stars don't fall for men." She gave him a tired smile. "They fall for dragons."

Had she not been as tired as she was, she may have thought about it for a little longer, but her eyes were closing and her legs were weak, so, as the sun rose on the horizon, she made her way to the bed and fell asleep soon after covering her body with the sheets.


	26. Madness within

Elia was not able to move from the bed to greet her best friend when she walked into the room, and she hated it. She knew that she was not going to be able to be herself for a while, and even if she knew it was due to the complications during the birth that she felt like dying, it still pained her. Her little boy was sleeping peacefully on a cradle next to her bed, as she refused to let him out of her sigh so soon. Ashara sat on her bed with a smile.

"I'm sorry for leaving." Her lady-in-waiting said, taking her hand.

"I understand." Elia smiled at her, trying to sooth her, for she could see how worried she was.

Ashara smiled back before glazing toward the cradle and staring at Elia's child. He was a little thing, with tanned skin and silver hair on his little head.

"We named him Aegon." The princess informed her, smiling proudly, but remembering her husband's strange words the day before.

"Rhaenys and Aegon…" She didn't dare finish the sentence. They both new, had known for a long time, that Rhaegar wanted another one, a Visenya, and yet upon seeing the shadow that crossed Ashara's features, Elia decided not to tell her friend her husband's declaration when he had finally gone to see for her and their child the day before.

_The Dragon has three heads, there must be one more._

The words had haunted her through the night, even if she did not know exactly what they meant. Elia knew what happened to queens who could not have children, she had heard of Maegor's wives, most of which had been killed and butchered for not being able to give him the heirs he so eagerly desired, even if it was say that it had been the King himself who was not able to have issue. She also knew about Aegon the Unworthy's mistresses, who have died, been casted aside or fallen far from grace due to their relationships with him even if many, if not all of them, had given him children. She knew what happened to women when their husbands got tired of them, but her husband was good and kind and the love he bore Rhaenys knew no equal, Elia had seen it, and she was sure he'd love Aegon just the same. No, she would not be casted aside, nor would her children, even if she could not give her husband another child.

Ashara misunderstood her silence, thinking that it meant she was not willing to keep talking of such issues, and pulled out the letter she had hidden between the hems of her left sleeve. She had wanted Lyanna to be the first to know, but she couldn't keep Elia in the dark for longer.

"I wrote to Ned." She told her, before handing her Eddard's reply to her letter.

Elia's face brightened when she read the letter. She would have never thought that soft-spoken, always righteous, Eddard Stark could be able of making such beautiful sentences, and yet there he was, writing paragraphs about how much he missed Ashara, about how happy he was that his lord father had agreed to their marriage, and about how he couldn't wait to see her beautiful violet eyes again. The princess smirked at her friend.

"Looks like you are going to be Ashara Stark soon enough. Does our she-wolf know?"

"Not yet. She was still on bed yesterday when I went to see her. Oberyn says she's almost as tired as you were."

"I wouldn't be here without them, or without your brother. Neither would my son. I owe all of them more than I can ever say."

Ashara shook her head, clasping her hands with her best friend's once more. Her raven hair fell down to cover her shoulders when she leaned closer to her, the fierceness inside her eyes surprising Elia.

"You owe them nothing, Elia. You do not owe any of us anything for our loyalty to you, you must know this, any of us would do anything for you and your children."

The princess took the lady's hands and brought them to her lips to kiss them, blinking when she felt tears forming in her eyes. No, definitely, no one was going to cast aside Elia Martell of Dorne, not when she had her family at her side. A knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts, and Ashara stood from the bed to open it, revealing a very tired looking Lyanna, who walked into the room with a smile and all but jumped into Elia's bed to hug her. Holding back a wince of pain, Elia hugged her back, kissing her cheeks when the Stark let go of her.

"I was so worried about you." Lyanna confessed and her sister-in-law smiled kindly at her.

"I'm alive and I will get better." Elia nodded. "And my son is beautiful and healthy."

Almost as if he had been summoned, the child started crying with all the strength of his little lungs. Ashara was quick to move to the cradle, knowing that Elia couldn't stand up, and picked the crying baby in her arms before sitting on the bed and, after Lyanna helped Elia to get sited against the bed's headboard, handed Aegon to her mother.

"Hush, my little sun." His mother soothed him. Ashara looked scared, as though she thought something was wrong with the child, but Elia smiled. "He's just hungry."

The smile she gave her son as the little boy moved his hands to reach her chin could have lightened up the whole world.

* * *

Lyanna had left to see Elia as soon as she had finished breaking her fast, which she had not wanted to eat eager as she had been to make sure her sister-in-law and her nephew were alright, and Oberyn had had to make her sit and eat to gain her strength back, and knowing that his sister was in good hands the prince of Dorne had taken his time to break his own fast. He had used the time to write some letters to his girls and to his sister-in-law, making sure to ask Mellario about Sarella, It was when he took them to the maester so he would send them to the Water Gardens that the old man gave him a letter sealed with the sun of House Martell.

As he walked back to his solar, knowing for certain that the letter was his brother's, the red viper sighed. The fact that he had written to him and not Elia meant whatever he wanted was just business. And he wasn't wrong. He cursed his brother's name in silence as soon as he broke the seal and started reading. Putting the letter down, the prince of Dorne rubbed at his temples. If it had been any other person asking him, he would have send them to the Seven Hell's, because he was not willing to let Elia so soon, but this was his prince and his brother, and not even the red viper could refuse Dorne. He was still debating what to answer Doran when Lyanna came back.

"We were expecting you." She frowned at him.

"How is my sister?"

"Tired. She fell asleep but Ashara is still with her." Lyanna smiled. "Aegon is such a sweet child, and Lewyn brought Rhaenys to see her mother some minutes ago. When I left she was cuddling against her."

Oberyn smiled brightly at that but she couldn't stop noticing the letter resting on the table. He didn't stop her when she moved to grab it and read it in silence. Once she was done, his wife handed the letter back to him with a sigh.

"So, when do we leave?"

There was a bitterness in her voice and he shook his head.

"My brother needs me, Lyanna, not you. You don't have to come with me just because we are married. Stay here with Elia and Ash if you wish and come join me back in Dorne once you are ready."

He loathed King's Landing, that much was true, and they both knew it, but he had already resigned himself to Elia having to live there and he knew that she had good men protecting her, so he would not take the chance to be with her and with Ashara from Lyanna, most especially now that the dornish lady was carrying Eddard Stark's child. His wife seemed to think about it for a moment, but then nodded at him.

"When are you leaving?" She asked, but smiled, glad that he would let her make her own choices.

"As soon as I can. It worries me that Doran would ask me to go back to Sunspear without saying why he needs me back."

"You think something is wrong." She guessed and he nodded before Lyanna continued. "Well, he just says something happened in Essos."

Oberyn laughed.

"Which surely means that he is having trouble with Volantis."

"The Elephants again?" The Stark asked. She had learnt of the trades Dorne made with the Elephants of Volantis when she was helping Doran with the accounts and with the distribution of his wealth. She had also learnt that some of those he traded with had started to ask him more money in exchange of their merchandise because of the dangers, such as pirates, that they faced when crossing the Narrow Sea.

Oberyn nodded, making a face.

"I just hope there is no need for me to go all the way to Volantis."

"And yet you are the only one who can help Doran because you are the only one in Dorne who is friends with a powerful Tiger that lives inside the Black Walls" Lyanna smirked.

The surprise that danced on his face when she finished the sentence filled her with no little amount of joy.

"I never told you that, she-wolf." He smirked.

Lyanna nodded.

"No, you didn't, but Nym is highborn and all those of the blood of old Valyria live inside the Black Wall."

"That doesn't me she couldn't be an elephant." He replied.

"You would get tired of an elephant." She shook her shoulders and he roared of laughter, his black eyes staring straight into her grey ones.

He leaned to kiss her, deep and slow, before standing. Lyanna let out a little laugh, happy to be right.

"I need to talk to Elia and then I'll tell the servants to start packing my things."

"Alright."

He bent again to kiss her hair before leaving the room.

* * *

Oberyn left three days later but Lyanna didn't watch him leave. She had spent the previous night with Elia, for the princess couldn't move properly and needed help to take care of her baby boy, and was still resting when he walked down to the port to get on a ship that would take him to Sunspear. Knowing that he was gone but he was fine, she decided to have a long bath right after waking up and then asked to be left alone as she had breakfast. Once she was done with the food, she got dressed quickly, intending to go check on Ashara Dayne, but when she tried to open the door, she couldn't. Lyanna pulled the doorknob several times, thinking that maybe something was wrong and the door had gotten stuck before banging on it.

"My lady." A voice she didn't know reached from the other side.

"Who are you?" She replied, still hitting the door.

"Ser Gerold Hightower." The man replied.

Lyanna frowned. _Kingsguard_ , a voice whispered in the back of her mind. But it was impossible. There was no reason for a member of the Kingsguard to be at her door.

"Let me out!" The Stark demanded.

"I can't, my lady." The white knight replied. "Prince's orders"

"What the bloody hell does that mean?!" Lyanna cursed but she got no answer. She kept on screaming and hitting the door until her voice broke and her hands were red and sore.


	27. Ice

She had stopped trying to break through the door when she realised that, even if by some miracle she managed to do so, she'd be greeted by, at least, a Kingsguard on the other side. Lyanna didn't know who they were, didn't know who had come to stand outside her chambers when Hightower had left, but she had heard them, taking in hushed voices. She wanted to believe that none of them were Arthur, that if her friend knew that she was trapped in there he would try to do something about it. And yet she wondered if his honour, if his oath, would allow him to do so. At least she hoped that, if he did know, he'd tell Ashara or Elia or both.

It had been hours since she had found her door locked, and she knew by the sun coming into the room and by the looks of the sky that it was past midday when the door opened slightly. Lyanna had been sitting on her bed, and stood quickly, ready to grab the chandelierfrom the table next to the bed and use it as a weapon. She cursed herself in silence for not having thought about bringing a sword with her and for having given her dagger to Nymeria. But, what dangers could have she found on the capital, being as she was the princess's sister-in-law?

A young girl walked into the room, not looking at her and walking swiftly toward the big table on the middle of the chamber. Lyanna noticed that her hands were shaking as she placed a - on the table. It was so full of food and refreshments that the Stark wondered just for how long the planned on keeping her there. Without thinking, she launched toward the girl, holding her arm.

"Let go of her," a voice came from the still half opened door.

When Lyanna turned her head around, she was greeted by a pair of emerald eyes that steared at her like they wanted to warn her. She didn't miss how his hand moved to reach the hilt of his golden sword.

"You won't harm this girl," Jaime Lannister stated.

"Rhaegar gave the order to keep me in here," she said matter of factly, and he nodded. "Tell him I demand to be set free and given answers."

"I will," the knight replied and then reached for the servant girl as Lyanna released her.

They both had known she was not going to harm her and yet, right after the girl had walked out, the she-wolf gave a step toward the Lannister, her fist colliding with his face before he could react, but he was fast to shut the door close again, even if she could hear him groan and curse at the other side of it.

Her hands were shaking like the girl's had been moments before when she turned from the door to grab some of the food, wondering if that was the only thing they'd bring her. She decided that it surely wasn't. Whatever reason the crown prince had to keep her inside her chambers, it wasn't to let her die of starbation. Moving her hand to her neck and gripping Bran's ring between her fingers, she blinked several times before closing her eyes, determined not to cry. When she opened them again, she took a deep breath. _I'm a direwolf_ , she told herself, and yet she felt like a helpless and useless girl, and that was the thing she hated the most.

 

* * *

 

 

The journey south was tedious and Brandon was hating every second of it. Usually, he'd love to ride for endless hours with the wind on his face and the songs of the trees around him, with his brothers or his sister or his friends at his side as they dared each other to go farther and faster, answering to the call of the mountains. But the march was being slow, as they had to stop on several castles to accept the lord's offers of shelter and food. The one he hated the most had been The Crossing and was glad when they left it. Lyanna's crannogman friend - Howland Reed, he reminded himself -, had made sure they were protected from the creatures looming on the deep swamps of The Neck when they had crossed his lands, even if he had not lead them to Greywater Watch. Brandon hadn't complained, for he knew that the Reed's did not allow anyone into their castle, not even their lord. He had wondered, though, if a Stark of Winterfell had ever set foot on the castle or the floating island it was set upon. If one had, he had no knowledge of it. And he didn't really care, knowing that, despite their manners, the Lord's of Greywater Watch had always been faithful to Winterfell, ever since his ancestor Rickard Stark had married the last Marsh King to his daughter and had annexionated the Neck to the domain of the Kings of Winter.

They had set camp upon the hill overlooking the Blue Fork, within the ruined stronghold castle of the ancient kings that the smallfolk now called Oldstones, the true name of the castle having been forgotten even before Aegon's Conquest. He was standing next to King Tristifer IV's tomb, as the sun went down, when a messanger came to seek him. The man looked like he had not even stopped to catch his breath, his horse falling to the ground as soon as he dismounted. The Heir of Winterfell saw his companions approaching them, ready to draw ther swords and stop any threat. As Brandon walked down the hill to meet the man, who called desperately for Brandon Stark, he thought that maybe he had been sent by his father, or Ned, or even Lord Hoster, but then he noticed that his horse was a sand steed.

"I am Brandon Stark," he declared. "Who are you?"

"Derion Sand, my lord. I serve Princess Elia of House Martell. She sent me for you."

Brandon nodded.

"You won't be able to deliver the princess' message if you die of extausion," he noted, leading the young boy to his tent after giving instructions for having food, water and wine delivered to it.

Derion drowned quickly all the refreshment that they gave him, before placing his dark eyes on Brandon again and handing him a letter that he had hidden among his clothes, as instructed by the princess. The oldest Stark was barely aware of the man moving to grab ome food as he broke the seal of letter and read the urgent message, the horrifying and unbelievable news that Elia had written.

"Brandon?" Ethan Glover called for him from the entrance of the tent, and it was then that the wild wolf noticed he had been squishing the letter so hard between his fingers that it was a mistery it had not been shattered.

The Stark ignored him, turning to the bastard Elia had send to deliver such a message.

"Do you know what the message says?" he asked him.

The young boy nodded.

"I serve House Martell," he declared, and only then did Brandon turn to his friend, who was still waiting for an explanation.

"The crown prince has taken my sister. He would not let her leave the Red Keep," Brandon explained, his blood boiling and his jaw clenched, for he could only imagine why Rhaegar Targaryen would have taken Lyanna. The image of it made him want to vomit.

Ethan turned to Derion, eyeing the boy with mistrust written all over his face. "Are we sure?" he asked his lord's son without taking his eyes from the boy. "Do we trust the information?"

"The letter has the sigil of House Martell. It's from Elia," his friend nodded and Brandon stood, even as his legs failed him, his whole body shaking of anger. "Call the others. We need to talk."

He left the Sand boy on his tent, eating the food and drinking the water that they had given him, after thanking him for how quickly he had reached him and the diligence with which he had delivered the message. Glover was quick to assamble their friends, gathering them not far from Brandon's tent, and the eldest Stark addressed them though clenched teeth, as though he could barely control his anger.

"Lyanna has been taken," he said, "She's being held against her will at the Red Keep."

"Send word to your father. An army could take King's Landing on a fornight," Elbert Arryn suggested, "Send word to your brother too, I'm sure my kin would rise from the Valle to fight for your lady sister."

"That'd take too long. And I don't want King's Landing, I want my sister!" Brandon took a deep breath, because yelling at his friends was the last thing he wanted. "I leave for the Keep at dawn. You can come with me or you can keep on ridding 'till you reach Riverrun, I don't care. I'm leaving either way."

"We ride with you," Ethan declared, not even a heartbeat after his lord's son was done talking, "Now and always."

Smiling at his friend, Brandon nodded. He would have never compelled them to follow him, even if they had all sworn to be his companions, but he should have guessed they'd not leave him.

"Now and always," Kyle Royce agreed.

Jeffory Mallister shook his head, his sword drawn and placed before him, almost as if he wanted to offer it to his sire, and laughed bitterly.

"Always," he nodded.

Elbert's blue eyes, so alike his uncle's, the Lord of the Valle, were sollem when they met Brandon's.

"At dawn," he promised.

When Brandon went to his tent to try and sleep, after preparing everything for leaving the camp as soon as the sun came up on the sky, he was certain there was no way he could let sleep claim her, not when his little sister was in danger. His right hand moved to caress the now empty skin of the middle finger of his left one, where his wolf ring, the ring of his ancestors, had rested, wondering if Lyanna still had it and hoping that she did, feeling that at least that way he would be with her somehow, even if they were currently miles apart.

 

* * *

 

 

As the hours went on Lyanna found herself curled on her bed, her mind going throw the same useless ideas to scape. There was no way to get out, after all, not when she knew that there were guards right outside the door. Even if she could manage whomever was guarding her, though, she knew there was no way for her to make it out of the Red Keep. She thought about breaking the mirror that was on the little table next to the bed to use the glass as a weapon, but it'd be obvious to anyone that the mirror had gone missing if she hid it afterward or even let it remain there. Her next idea was to break a chair, but she got to the very same conclusion. Moving to seat on the bed, she groaned, frustrated, and cursing herself for giving her dagger to Nymeria before leaving Dorne.

The sun was already touching the sea when Lyanna heard the door open again, and quickly stood, moving to stand at the oposide side of the room, next to the balcony, making sure the big table was between her and those coming inside the chamber. The first one to step in was a member of the kingsguard that she had never seen before, and he kept his hand on the pommel of his sword all the time. After him, came Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. His long silver hair was braided back in Targaryen fashion and his violet eyes were as kind as they had always been. Once again the princess wondered why the man who had given her a laurel of winter roses to tell her that she was the one who should have won the tourney at Harrenhal had suddenly turned into someone she didn't know.

"I'm allowed to leave the room, I take it," she said, smiling, even if she eyed both him and the man guarding him warily.

"Sit," Rhaegar's smile was as bright as the morning sun, "We should talk."

He sat at the head of the table, but she didn't move, not even as servants started walking into the room, placing dinner at the table. Once they were gone, Rhaegar looked at her again.

"Please, Lyanna, sit down and eat."

"What if I don't? You'll order your guardian dog to kill me?" she asked, even if she didn't want to know the answer. The white knight just stared at her. "Your name, sir?"

The knight looked at his prince, as though he looked for approval, and answered her when Rhaegar nodded, "Ser Oswell Whent."

Slowly, without taking her eyes from the, the she-wolf sat on her side of the table, and hungry as she was, she ate, knowing that no one would dare put poison on the food when the prince was also eating it.

"So talk," she spat at him. Maybe if she kept treating him like he was no better than horse shit he wouldn't notice it if she took one of the dinner knives.

"I know my ways may have seemed hard, my lady, but there is reasoning behind them," he excused himself. "The long night is coming, Lyanna, and I need you to help me stop it."

She froze for a moment, wondering if he was listening to his own words, for they made no sense, at least not to her.

"Help you?" She stuffed another piece of meat in her mouth.

"There is an ancient book in Asshai," he started talking, "it's over five hundred years old and it tells the story of a man. His name was Azor Ahai, and he was chosen to fight against darkness in a time in which it threatened to swallow the world. And to do so, he decided to forge a sword. He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke, so he started over. The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered. The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew beforehand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast. He drove his sword into her living heart, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes."

"I'm not baring my breast to you so you may kill me," Lyanna groaned, and Rhaegar's eyes seemed to lighten with a fire she hadn't seen before.

"That's not what I…"

"You are speaking of the last hero," Lyanna interrupted, "Every child in the North knows his story."

Rhaegar frowned at her, and she knew he had no idea what she was talking about. Taking a napkin to casualy clean her lips, she made sure to leave it on top of the knife when she placed it back on the table.

"Do tell," he urged her.

 _Oh my sweet summer child … What do you know of fear?_ Old Nan seemed to be whispering to her as she had done a thousand times before, telling her and Benjen stories of heroes who had fought monsters that had been long ago forgotten.

"Thousands and thousands of years ago, a winter fell that was cold and hard and endless beyond all memory of man. There came a night that lasted a generation," she spoke, feeling as if she were back inside the walls of Winterfell. She was sronger within the walls of Winterfell. "So as cold and death filled the earth, the last hero determined to seek out the children, in the hopes that their ancient magics could win back what the armies of men had lost. He set out into the dead lands with a sword, a horse, a dog, and a dozen companions. For years he searched until he despaired of ever finding the children of the forest in their secret cities. One by one his friends died, and his horse, and finally even his dog, and his sword froze so hard the blade snapped when he tried to use it. And the Others smelled the hot blood in him and came silent on his trail, stalking him with packs of pale white spiders big as hounds." Her hand slid carefully under the napkin. "And the hero ran until his feet didn't answer him, and then some. And when the siders were upon him the children of the forest answered his prayer and saved him." She gripped the knife carefully and softly and moved it down to her lap. A look at the two men was enough to let her know that they hadn't noticed. "Eventually, he gained the children's assistance and it is said that he gathered loyal and brave men who would later be known as the Night's Watch to fight with him, and thanks to the weapons the children had provided him, they won the Battle of the Dawn and made the Others retreat back into the Land of Always Winter."

Lyanna could remember a tale alike that one that she'd read in one of the books Ashara and Elia had gifted her at her wedding. It told the story of the time when the darkness had made the waters of the Rhoyne freeze, until a hero convinced the children of Mother Rhoyne to put aside their differences and their bickering to join in a secret song that brought back the day. Still she couldn't see how any of that was relevant.

"Aemon didn't tell me that," Rhaegar whispered and it took the princess a moment to realize he was talking to himself.

"What does it matter?" she dared ask.

Rhaegar stared at her for a long moment, and the princess was aware of the white knight's hand still on the pommel of his sword. Did he really found her threatening, caged and unable to fight as she was?

"There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone. And in this dread hour he shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he shall be known as Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him," the prince spoke, almost as if he were reading one of his many poems, and Lyanna was certain he had lost his mind. Even if all those tales may be true, there was no darkness coming.

"I still don't understand." Maybe if she made him talk, he'd think she believed him and allow her to, at least, leave the chamber and talk to Elia.

"Azor Ahai reborn shall be the prince that was promised," Rhaegar explained with the voice one would use to talk to a child, "and his shall be the song of ice and fire."

Lyanna had heard talk of ice and fire before, it was after all part of the vow the Reeds had sworn to House Stark. She had never heard there was a song for it, though. Suddenly, the prince rose from his seat, and her grey eyes searched his features for any sign of immediate danger.

"It's late. I should let you sleep."

The princess made to stand and Sir Oswall moved between her and the Crown Prince, so Lyanna remained sitting, the knife she had taken safely hidden between the skirts of her dress.

"My brother's will want me back," she stated, and it was more a threat than a fact or a warning.

"I shall write to Eddard, then," Rhaegar stated, "I'm sure he will understand your decision of remaining with us for longer."

He left with his sworn knight right behind him and let her alone again. It was then when she learnt that she had been gripping the knife with such strength that her knuckles were white. Rhaegar's foolishness almost made her want to laugh, though. If he thought Ned would be kinder than Bran or Ben he was terribly wrong. People often made the mistake of assuming Brandon was the wilder one; the one who couldn't be controlled. But the eldest son of Rickard Stark was all hot temper that could lead to disaster. There was an icy rage in Eddard that even his little sister had learnt to fear.


	28. Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could never apologize for how long it took to finish this and I won't bother you with excuses. Enjoy the chapter :)
> 
> P.S. I've totally made up Nymeria's mother's name because the only thing GRRM tells us about her is that she is a lady from valyrian blood that lives inside the Black Wall of Volantis, so I just made her up from there.

* * *

  _The Water Gardens_

* * *

 

Nehemia Naessos knew better than to disturb Oberyn when he was angry, so when the father of her daughter had stood up and rushed out of the room as they dined after the maester delivered a letter to him, she waited for whatever it was to be fixed and for him to come back. But he didn't. Sighing, she stood up from the chair and walked out of the Red Viper's chambers. As much as she had enjoyed seeing her little Nymeria again, she had not travelled all the way from Volantis to Dorne for a family visit, but for matters of state. If only the elephants weren't such a pain in her ass, she wouldn't have bothered Doran Martell at all, but as they were the primary force of the Triarchy, as they had been for years without end, she was forced to ensure the security of her dornish alliance. Her siblings wouldn't be kind if it was destroyed after all, and she'd burn any pirate ship standing in the way of her peace.

She met Oberyn's eldest halfway through the corridor, and the girl didn't even pretend to hide her disdain. Nehemia didn't care about the child, nor did she care about her love. She had a slight idea about why Obara didn't like her, but as long as her daughter kept on loving her, even from afar, she had no issue with the oldest sand snake. She had heard all about the girls' new _mother_ , though. Other women may have felt jealousy or anger if their daughters had spoken to them with the fervour with which Nymeria spoke about the She-Wolf of Winterfell, but Nehemia couldn't be bothered by it. If anything, what she had heard about Lyanna Stark only made her want to meet the woman.

It was Oberyn's yelling that led her to him, and even though she knew that his older brother could handle the Red Viper, she almost feared for Doran Martell's safety, for she'd never wish to be at the other end of Oberyn's anger.

"This alliance was made for a reason, Doran!" The Viper complained.

The ruling prince of Dorne was standing on the far side of a balcony overlooking the pools, his hands gripping the railing so tightly his knuckles had turned white, while his brother stood next to him, visibly shaking with rage.

Doran Martell was the first of the two to notice her presence and straighten himself, his posture forcing his little brother to turn around to meet her gaze. The lady was polite enough to pretend not to notice Doran's Norvosi protector giving a step forward, though the man did not block her way or tried to stop her in any way.

"It sounded like there was trouble," she said for an excuse to pry into their business. She knew after all that she was no dornish lady or citizen and that the prices could dismiss her with a wave of their hands.

"It's none of your business, Hemia." Oberyn's voice was sharp, and would have cut through lesser men like his spear through his enemies. But the tigress had long ago learnt to handle the viper. And to read him too.

"Is this about the wolf girl?"

And just like that Nehemia could have sworn she heard Oberyn's teeth clash and break due to the tightness of his jaw. There was a feeling about him that she wasn't sure she'd ever seen before. The lady frowned at that.

"She's been kidnapped."

"Oberyn," Doran warned.

"By whom?"

Oberyn had fully turned toward her, his hands still shaking with anger, but Doran's dark eyes assessed her with distrust. For all of their deals and partnerships, she had never expected the Prince of Dorne to trust her. And she knew enough of politics to understand that he'd be a fool if he did so.

"Volantis has no interest in our affairs," the oldest brother answered before the viper could.

"No, she does not. But I have a dornish daughter who speaks of your brother's wolf wife as if she were the sun came to the ground to bless us all and I would like to know if her heart is about to get broken."

The only reaction she got from Doran Martell was a raised eyebrow. After several moments of silence she wondered if any of them was going to answer.

"Lyanna is with my sister at King's Landing," Oberyn said at last. "Rhaegar Targaryen has apparently locked her in her chambers and refuses to let her leave. My sister is also confined to her rooms because she almost died barely weeks ago birthing her son."

"And so the Mad King's son holds the most important women in your life captive. Is he as mad as his royal father, then?"

"One could think so," her former lover answered and was about to add something else, and by his demeanour she knew it wouldn't be compliments about the prince, but Doran put a hand on his shoulder and addressed her.

"For now it'd seem Lyanna's brother went to the capital to ask for answers and got captured himself. His father is on his way down from Winterfell to solve the matter."

Oberyn got rid of his brother's grip and shook his head. "Brandon is only her brother. And Lyanna stopped being under Rickard's care the moment I married her. I should be the one ridding north to meet Rhaegar." He made a face. "I wouldn't have been so stupid as to ask for his head from the walls."

Nehemia blinked at that. "The Stark boy did that? And I thought you were the less subtle man in the world."

"Lewyin should take them out," Oberyn turned to his brother again, and by the way the prince's shoulders dropped, the tigress new this was not the first time they discussed the matter. They had probably been at it since that letter had arrived.

"Elia must remain bedridden. Any attempt to move her could kill her. You know that." Doran talked as if his brother was a little child having a temper tantrum, but there was raw pain in his deep dark eyes that made the volantine feel bad for him.

She had never met Elia Nymeros Martell or Lyanna Stark, but still, she said, "And if both are being held captive one could assume that the moment one gets freed the other will suffer."

As silence fell around them, she realised neither of them had thought about that. Doran made a gesture with his head and that was it. Nehemia Naessos turned on her heel and walked away from the balcony. Behind her, Oberyn Martell unleashed his frustration with a scream that she felt to her bones and set her trembling.

 

* * *

  _The Vale_

* * *

 

Jon found him on his room sitting on the balcony, feet hanging over the edge and hands like claws gripping the stone beneath him. The room behind him was a mess. A desk had been flipped over and there was wine staining both the floor and several papers he'd been working on, all thanks to Robert. Ned couldn't blame him, of course, but still he knew that kicking the furniture would help no one.

"My boy…" Jon started, but Eddard didn't turn to look at him. For all the love he had for the man he had come to think of as a father, there was nothing Jon Arryn of the Vale could say to make him feel better.

It had been enough to have his father forbid him from leaving the Eyrie when the only thing he wanted was to take his horse and ride down to King's Landing. Not with threats and swords as he was told Brandon had done, but with questions and demands.

Ned knew why Rickard had commanded him not to intervene, understood that it was bad enough that the Mad King now had Brandon in a dungeon and Lyanna in a tower, but he still burned with anger. For his brother who was now imprisoned; for his sister who had been taken hostage for no reason; for his love and their child who were with Elia Martell inside that damned Keep. So far away from his reach all of them, and still Eddard could feel them in his chest, deep inside his heart, and all of them seemed to be screaming for him.

And yet here he was, Eddard Stark, son to one of the most powerful men in the Westeros, trapped and useless and powerless while a dark cloud descended on everything and everyone he loved.

"I'd like to be alone," he told Jon, barely looking at him over his shoulder before jumping back into the room.

He didn't know where to go. A part of him wanted to look for Robert but he knew that he wouldn't like whatever his friend was doing to get over the pain that had caused him to learn that Lyanna, a woman he still loved, had been taken by his cousin, so he decided to go down to the Godswood instead.

It would have been an insult to any proper Godswood to call this one such, of course, since the ground was too thin and stony for a weirwood to grow in it, but it was still the name the Arryns gave him. Instead of the weirwood, Ned found the statue of a weeping woman staring down at him.

Alyssa Arryn seemed to be mocking him, and Eddard couldn't stop remembering her story. The woman who had witnessed the murder of her entire family without sheeding a tear, condemned by the Gods to not find rest until her tears would reach the Valle where her loved ones where buried. A cruel joke, since Ned knew that the waters of the waterfall that bore the woman's name turned to mist before reaching the ground, causing a never-ending fall.

Maybe it was desperation commanding his moves, maybe it was the ache that he could still feel inside his heart, or maybe it was something different entirely, but Eddard knelt before her as he would have before the Heart Tree in Winterfell. _Please_ , he asked, _please, protect them. Please keep them safe. Please bring them home. Let my sister go back to her husband and step-daughters and let her laugh again, let my brother and father ride back to the North where they belong, let my lady be safe and let me hold our child in my arms. Please. Please. Please._

He couldn't have been able to tell for how long he remained there, eyes closed and kneeling, but suddenly he heard a whisper, as if the wind had brought it to him. _War_ , it said, _war and death and uprising_.

When Ned opened his eyes, heart pounding against his ribcage as if it may break it and a strangled cry of surprise finding its way out of his lips, he was utterly alone.

 

* * *

  _King's Landing_

* * *

 

She knew of the passing of time thanks to the sun that rose every morning and set every night to greet her and mock her, and thanks to the servants that came in and out of her chamber. They came to bring her food, water, to empty her chamber pot, to help her bathe. Either they were oblivious to her imprisonment or they didn't care, too busy serving and trying not to stand out to think much about it.

Lyanna hated them. Lyanna envied them. Hated them for helping her captors. Envied them for never having to know what it felt like to be caged, for not being important enough to get caught up in the game.

But most of all she hated herself for not being able to get out. For being powerless.

The princess guessed she could consider herself lucky because Rhaegar Targaryen had not come to see her since he had forced her to dine with him and told her that crazy story about heroes and monsters. In fact, she had no idea where her brother-in-law was currently at, and even if she wasn't sure that was good, she had decided it couldn't be bad either.

So she had used those weeks of imprisonment to get the guards and the servants to talk. During the first weeks she had tried to gain their trust, to find out if any of the servants would help her get out –even if she hadn't asked directly because that would be have been stupid–, and to try and gain the sympathy of her guards. At first she had decided to wait until Arthur or Lewyn were on duty to try and actually ask to be realised, but she should have known that Rhaegar, or whomever it was he had left in charge of keeping her there after he had left (if he had truly left because she wasn't sure about that either), wouldn't be as stupid to give dornish guards to a princess of Dorne.

The weeks turned into a full month and silence reined around her. So Lyanna stopped asking for freedom and started asking about Elia: where was she? Was she alright? What about her child? Day after day she'd ask the same questions to everyone who would listen.

It took yet another week to get an answer and, surprisingly, it came from the member of the Kingsguard that she had less expected to talk to her, especially since she had punched him the last time they'd talked. Jaime answered her from the other side of the door, his voice low but clear enough.

"Princess Elia is bedridden, her child is fine, and both are being tended to by the Lady Ashara."

Oberyn's uncle and her soon to be brother-in-law must have been with Elia then, keeping her safe, and she thanked the Old Gods for it. She let out a relieved breath and allowed herself to smile, before pounding at the door and demanding to be taken to see her. Lyanna could have sworn she heard the Lannister laugh and hit the door again. Jaime said nothing.

The day they came for her, Lyanna was sure Rhaegar was back and they were taking her to him. But several things seemed aloof. First, the ones who escorted her were not the knights of the Kingsguard that had guarded her door, but Goldcloaks; and second, they put chains around her wrists the moment she stepped out of the room.

 _Chains_ , as if she were a rabid dog in need to be controlled. As if she was nothing but a _thing_ to them. And maybe she was. Hadn't their prince captured her, after all? Hadn't he betrayed not only the North but also Drone, his wife's beloved homeland, when confining his sister-in-law in her chambers?

If only there hadn't been so many of them maybe Lyanna could have used those chains as a weapon but, once again, it seemed her captors had not been idle enough to underestimate her. Running was not an option either, because they surrounded her and would surely catch her before she could get anywhere, but Elia's rooms weren't that far and maybe…

The Goldcloaks made the choice for her when one of them grabbed her arm and made her turn to the left and down a staircase. His grip was so strong Lyanna was sure it'd leave bruises. When she made to pull away from it, he held her tighter. Tired, angry, and unable to control herself, the princess spat at him, provoking the guards to stoop.

Lyanna didn't see it coming and couldn't react when his hand moved and slapped her across the face, making her turn by the violence of the act. She tasted blood in her mouth and a burning sensation on her lower lip that let her know it was probably broken.

His hand was around her neck then but, if the warning look one of his companions was giving him was any indication, Lyanna guessed they had orders not to harm her.

"Don't worry, little bitch, we will take good care of you once the prince throws you away." He traced her now broken lip with his thumb, a smile on his face, and she found herself praying someone would run him through.

But there were no knights looking out for her here, so she opened her mouth and bit him as hard as she could.

The Goldcloak yanked away from her with a scream of surprise, and then proceeded to hold his bleeding hand between curses, as his comrades moved the princess away and commanded her to keep walking, before telling him to stay behind and find a maester. Lyanna spat the blood out of her mouth an onto the floor beneath them, more pleased than she should be in realizing that the remaining guards were now keeping their distance from her. She could have almost smiled.

The feeling left her body entirely when they reached their destination and the doors to the Great Hall were opened.

All her senses were overwhelmed at once, the smell of fire and smoke threatening to choke her and bringing tears to her eyes. She didn't see it at first, didn't understand what happened, where the smoke came from or why all those people were staring at her as the Goldcloaks pushed her forward.

Years later Lyanna would forget what words and faces and deeds and would be not remember them even if she tried, just like she could not remember her mother's smile, but that feeling, that moment, that fire…she could never forget it.

She couldn't recognise the man at first, suspended on the air and suffering as he was, but that cloak, that armour…and then she saw her brother.

"No! Bran!" But the guards were pulling at her, taking her away from Brandon and her father. The fabric of her sleeves torn as she fought against them.

Her screams as she called for them were muffled by her father's, as the pyromancers around him banked and fanned the fire. And then there were chains on her wrists again, only this time they were, like Brandon's, behind her back, and tied to a larger chain, keeping her locked to the wall so she could barely move away from it.

The iron of the bindings dug into Lyanna's skin as she struggled to move forward, to fight, to help. She called for her father, yelled at him, at Brandon, as tears of pain and rage run freely down her cheeks, and on his Iron Throne, the Mad King laughed. The sound crept inside her very soul, mocking her as she watched those she loved most suffer, as she knew that they would die if she did nothing, and found that she was as useless.

In her desperation she turned to stare at the people around them, those knights and nobles Aerys had brought to witness his justice, his law… his madness. She wanted to roar at them too, for staring and doing nothing, but they had already seen her pain, her weakness and her tears, and she would not acknowledge them. Lyanna's sight blurred at the edges, the smoke burning her eyes, but she made sure to remember their faces, their colours, and their crests.

At the foot of the Iron Throne, guarding their King, stood four members of the Kingsguard, clad in their white armour and white cloaks. The princess wanted to claw at their faces, to take the ashes that filled the floor and air –the ashes of her father's cloak and furcoat– and use them to pain their oh so beautiful clothes, to show them the kind of monster they served, to stain them of the murder that coated their king's hands, the murder that they had allowed to happen.

Jaime and Arthur were closest to the fire and still when she placed her gaze on them none of them returned it.

"Father," she begged again, her voice broken. And then she heard it, a _clack._

She stopped fighting. Stopped moving. Stopped breathing.

_No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no._

"Brandon." Lyanna didn't know if she had whispered or screamed the name, if her voice had been as soft as feathered wings or as loud as a snowslide. What she knew was that her brother wasn't moving. What she knew was that she had just lost a part of herself, and as her father kept screaming, she knew she would soon lose another.

She vomited on the floor.

It still took a while for Rickard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell, the heir of the Kings of Winter, the most honorable man she had ever known, _her father_ , to die. And Lyanna watched it all, only blinking due to the smoke, and didn't yell again, didn't beg, even as that terrible laugh echoed inside of her and ringed on her ears. Let them see that they had not broken her, let them all know that there was still fight inside of her, let them understand that the men they had just murdered where wolves, proud and strong, and so was see, and that the pack might have been broken but was had not been defeated. In silence, she prayed for Ben and Ned, prayed that they'd be sly and smart and unflinching, prayed that they'd come and crush this man that called himself king with the mercy of the most bitter of winters.

The screaming stopped at some point, though the princess was sure she was not in that room any longer, but dead and gone. The skin of her wrists was wounded, broken and raw, and she was in pain, but the ache in her heart made it easy to ignore.

She could barely feel her arms when they unchained her and she didn't hear the Mad King's command to take her away. Maybe there was none. And then there were hands on her elbows and arms that lifted her up and threw a white cloak over her shoulders before carrying her away. She might have still been crying.

Lyanna couldn't remember when they brought her back to the chambers that had become her cell, she only remembered the darkness that enveloped her and took the ache away.


	29. No Foe May Pass

Eddard had read about wars back in Winterfell. Great battles fought by brave and fearless warriors in long forgotten kingdoms, or conquest filled with blood and fire and glory. He had never expected to live through one. To start one. To feel it emptying him inside as it began.

He had spent three days locked in his room when the news arrived, barely registering the servants coming in and leaving food for him. He barely ate, barely drank. Didn't bother answer Jon and Robert when they came to try and soothe him.

They had told him Brandon was dead. They had told him Father was dead. They had told him Lyanna was a prisoner still.

Lies. He had wanted to believe they were lies.

But then Jon had come on the morning of the fourth day, and there were dry tears on Ned's cheeks when the man had sat next to him on the floor.

"The Mad King asked me to hand you over. You and Robert. He claims you are part of a plot to get him off the Throne. He claims that's why Rickard and Brandon…" He had made a long pause then. "If Aerys thinks I'll do it he's madder than the stories say. I've called for my bannermen. Let that king know no one will be touching my boys."

Eddard had looked at him then, red eyed and still shaking, as if he had never ever seen him before. He had looked at that man who had taken care of him for so many years and known that beside him he would always be safe.

"What happened?" he had asked then. But no one knew, not really.

Some said Brandon had died first, hanged. Some said he was still alive while Rickard burned before the Iron Throne. Some said he had also burned. All of them agreed Lyanna had been there, screaming for them.

The thought of it made Ned's stomach turn and his blood boil.

Long after Jon left, he let it, let that anger overtake him, that sadness fill him. And then he let it harden in his veins, change, turn into the ice of the North he had been born into. The North that he loved. The North that had shaped him and his siblings from the moment they left their mother's womb.

Ned had stood, called for a servant to draw him a bath and then changed into clean clothes before eating the breakfast that had been prepared for him. And then he had started writing letters.

The first one was for The Water Gardens and he didn't even bother to write down his name nor explain himself. Oberyn would understand, he knew. If he didn't, he'd take care of him once Lya and Ashara were safe.

The second one was for Ben. He all but begged his little brother to stay at Winterfell, to defend it and protect himself within its walls should anything happen to him. They both knew Ben would be the only hope left for House Stark if Ned failed to save his loved ones.

The other letters were for his father's vassals– _his vassals_. The Glovers of Deepwood Motte; the Mormonts of Bear Island; the Umbers of Last Hearth; the Manderlys of White Harbor; the Flints, Wulls, Norrey and Liddle of the Mountains; the Karstarks of Karhold; the Blackwoods of the Wolfswood; The Boltons of the Dreadfort; the Dustins of Barrowton; the Ryswells of the Rills; the Reeds of Greywater Watch…

To all of them, he wrote, and from all of them he demanded allegiance. And this time, he signed as Eddard Stark of Winterfell, Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North.

The name did not seem his own, and as he gave them to the Maester and watched as the ravens carried them away, he felt like a boy in need of his father's counsel and embrace. But his father was gone.

No, he told himself, not gone. Murdered. Murdered by the man who now held his sister, his beloved, and his unborn child hostage.

The thought of it only was enough to make him shake in fear, but he pushed it back, knowing it would be of no use giving into it, and steeled himself as he walked down the stairs of the Eyrie and to Jon Arryn's chambers, where Robert and the Lord of the Vale awaited, sitting at a table.

His best friend surveyed him with a worried look and Ned nodded at him, not ready to express his feelings out loud at the moment. He wasn't sure he had the words, after all, to explain the mess that was his still weeping heart.

He didn't sit.

"I've sent letters," he told Jon Arryn. "The northerner lords should rally their soldiers as soon as they receive them. I have given instructions for them to meet me at The Twins."

"Smart. Walder Frey will not let them cross without your word."

Even as the man nodded at him in agreement Ned could feel the look he gave Robert and the tension around them. Looking from one to the other, he asked:

"What is it?"

After a moment, Jon placed his blue eyes on him again.

"The Mad King is not wrong when he speaks of a plot meant to dethrone him," he confessed. "There was talk of it, alliances arranged to make sure that when Rhaegar finally took his father away from King's Landing and took him to Dragonstone to spend the rest of his days in peace and away from the public eye, no one would complain."

"My father knew."

It was not a question, but a stunned statement. Still, Jon offered, "Yes. He knew."

That was why Lyanna had married Oberyn, Ned understood then, and why Brandon had been set to marry Catelyn Tully.

 _He already has you in Sunspear,_ he had told Lyanna once, almost a lifetime ago, _why would he want me in Starfall?_ And his father had not agreed to allow him to marry Ashara until he had heard of her pregnancy, even after Tywin Lannister had refused to marry his daughter to him. As if he had still expected to strike another betrothal.

"So my father was a traitor."

Jon shook his head as Robert said, "No. Don't say that."

"Your father was one of the best men I've ever known," Jon added. "Everything he did, everything we all did, was to make sure we left a better world for you than the one we were living in."

Eddard almost replied by reminding him how nicely that had turned out, but there was pain in the man's eyes, so he kept his thoughts to himself, as he did so well. Instead he said:

"You are telling me this now. Why?"

Robert tensed at that and, even before Jon answered; his stance let Ned know he already knew the answer to that question.

"I wrote to Hoster Tully the moment you locked yourself in your chambers to grief. With your brother…gone, I wondered if he'd be willing to stuck an alliance with me, as I'm a man in need of heirs and he had been promised a wedding."

Ned frowned at that. "He said no?"

The Lord of the Vale stood at that and placed his hands on the table before him, face stern. Once again, he shook his head.

"No. He agreed and offered his daughter Lysa to be my wife. He also reminded me his daughter Catelyn was promised the title of Lady of Winterfell." He sighed. "He still wants her to have it."

The words hanged between them, as sharp as a sword, because even if Jon didn't say it Ned knew what he meant. Knew what was expected of him.

"I offered myself," Robert said then, fixing his sky blue eyes on Ned's grey ones. "I told him I'd marry his Catelyn and make her Lady of Storm's End, but he would not to hear it."

There was truth and almost sadness in his words, and for all his wrongs Eddard knew his friend was being as honest as he had ever been. He put a hand on his shoulder in thanks and reassurance. And to hold himself steady too, because he understood, what those men he considered family didn't want to say out loud.

What this war would demand of him.

Lya's smile came to him then, as he had last seen her, ridding away from Winterfell to her new family and life. And Ashara's dancing violet eyes, shinning with sadness as she rode beside his sister and looked back at him, dreaming as he did of a future they would soon achieve.

Somewhere on the Red Keep he knew they waited for him. And he wondered just what amount of himself he was ready to give for them and for a future in which they'd be happy and alive. The answer was an easy one. And it devastated and strengthen him at the same time.

Because he would give everything he had and more for them, never mind what it cost him.

 

* * *

 

 

Days, he had been riding for days.

There was nothing but darkness around him and, above him, Nymeria's Star and her ten thousand ships seemed to mock him, reminding him of what little time he had, and of the soldiers that were surely chasing him at that very moment. Still, he knew he had been smart, because while riding through the sands in the darkness was rather reckless, it would have been stupid of him to bring a torch and show his persecutors the way they had to follow.

As much as he didn't want them to, his thoughts wandered back to the Water Gardens and how they had been when he'd left. He wondered if Doran had been surprised to hear he had escaped the palace. He wondered also if he had discovered Nehemia had helped him.

The truth was that he wouldn't have been able to do it without her, not with his brother's men watching his every move. But in the end Doran had been too busy handling the mayhem that were the gardens to pay him much mind. His daughters were to blame for it; he knew it in his heart.

While Nymeria had cried her eyes out at them, screaming that they had left her mother and aunt alone –which filled Oberyn's heart with no little amount of pride–, Obara had faced them both directly, and openly, letting every man, woman and child on the gardens know that the Mad King and his son were holding two dornish princesses hostage in their Keep.

It had been impossible to keep the situation a secret after that, and when the letter arrived telling them of what had befallen Rickard and Brandon Stark…Oberyn himself had faced his brother then, courtesy and politeness be damned. But even then he had known there was nothing Doran could do without risking Elia, Rhaenys, Aegon and Lyanna in the process. It would be impossible for any of their ships to reach King's Landing without being wrecked at Blackwater Bay by the Targaryen fleet.

An army was not an option, Doran had declared, not when they had an alliance with House Targaryen. Not while Elia was in the Keep. And Oberyn knew his brother felt for Lyanna, could see the pain in his eyes, but he also knew that he would let her die if that meant saving Elia. He should have hated him for it, but he understood. Still, it angered him.

More letters arrived and the whole world seemed to have turned on its axis. Aerys Targaryen had demanded Eddard's head as well as Robert Baratheon's and the Vale had raised his banners against him. There was no one to tell them what the North was doing, but they didn't need a raven telling them Winterfell had risen up in arms, not when a letter from Ned's own handwriting arrived days later. It contained but a sentence, and it had moved Doran to move the army to their borders, but Oberyn was not about to wait and see how everything developed.

 _Honor my sister_ , Eddard had written. No signature, no mention of his new title as Lord of Winterfell, only the wolf seal to remind the Viper of the promises he had made. Of his very own she-wolf now trapped in a tower.

The thought of Lyanna made him wrath in a way he wasn't sure he had ever felt before, because whatever Rhaegar was doing to her…he'd have blood for it.

"If he dares touch a hair on Lyanna's head," he had warned Doran the last time they had spoken, "I will lead against him a war so bloody it will put what the Conqueror did to Harren the Black to shame. Which means that of him, his soldiers, his allies and his servants I will leave no survivor."

Doran had stared at him as a mother might look at her misbehaving child, knowing that there was something she should do to change his behavior but without a clue of where to start.

"Maybe when the crown seats upon our sister's head and she's cheered as Regent you'll see things the way I do."

"Regent? You'd curse her by binding her to the Iron Throne." Doran's voice had been low and harsh, and there was anger in it, Oberyn knew, but surprise and disbelief too.

"She's the most capable person I know." And she was the only one in that God's forsaken place –save his wife, nephew and niece– that mattered to him. "And she's been bound to the Iron Throne since you married her off to that oaf of a prince."

His brother had all but kicked him out of his chambers, and Oberyn had run to seek the tigress' help to get away from the Water Gardens.

Days later, he found himself riding through the desert, certain that the ravens he had instructed Nehemia to send had reached their destination and making his horse ride harder and faster and swifter. He was a traitor now, had betrayed his prince's command of staying put and doing nothing, and knew that law dictated Doran had to lock him up if caught, and there was no way he was letting himself be captured when there was so much he had to do.

And then, he saw it, a fire in the distance and he would have thought it a mirage if he hadn't been expecting it. The prince was able to catch sight of the tents as he approached and a fuss arose on the camp at his arrival. Before he could explain himself, though, a slim figure walked toward him, ordering the soldiers to stand down.

She was dressed in brown leathers with a dark veil covering her hair and a sword to her hip, and Oberyn had never been happier to see Larra Blackmont. The vulture grinned up at him as he dismounted.

"You are late," she spat. "We will need to leave right away if we want to make sure the prince's men won't find us."

The Viper frowned. "I didn't leave a trail, Larra; it would be a miracle if they were to stumble upon us."

The heir to Blackmont didn't answer him and, instead, lead him further inside the camp. Wary now, Oberyn followed her into a tent, only to mutter a curse when he saw who waited inside.

"What?" Delonne smiled at him, "You thought you could call in old debts to march on the capital and I wouldn't find out?"

He understood then why Larra had complained he was late and why she had been so eager to leave. If Delonne Allyrion was here, there was no way she hadn't sent word to Doran about it.

"I know what you are thinking," Larra nodded, "and yes, we had to warn Doran."

"Letting our prince think us traitors didn't sound like a good plan," Delonne added, her dark eyes finding his own.

The Viper of Dorne nodded at them both, because he knew both ladies were risking far more than he was on this, and he was grateful to have them at his side. "How many men do we have?" he asked, and walked toward the table where Delonne was sitting to accept the water Larra offered him.

"Fifty, as requested. A larger force would not go unnoticed," the Lady of Godsgrace answered, a smile never leaving her lips. If the situation had been different, Oberyn may have remembered the times he had spent in her city, enjoying the pleasures that both her palace and her body had to offer, but right now they were nothing but friends and allies and he felt no kind of lust toward the older woman. "Most of them are loyal to me. The others belong to Larra's personal escort."

"They follow us and we follow you," the Blackmont lady stated, offering him a plate full of fruits and meat that the prince willingly accepted.

"Yes," Delonne laughed, "you should eat, Viper. We'll be leaving as soon as your horse rests." And she left.

But Larra was not done with him. She took of her veil, cleaning it of sand, and fixed her hazel eyes back on Oberyn. There was cunning in them he had always admired.

"Your sister's husband took your wife," she said, as lovingly as a maid might talk about her favorite dress, "and his father murdered her brother and father. Now you aim to fight him and save both her and your sister…It will be an epic tale."

Taking another long sip of water, Oberyn replied, "If we win."

She shrugged. "Either way it will be a bloodbath. Let's hope we survive it."

Larra sighed and stood to leave but Oberyn called for her again. "Your mother will let us cross?"

She didn't turn to him but the prince could hear her grin in her words. "And she will deny that she did when asked."

Nodding, Oberyn hoped Doran could forgive him. _Wait_ , he begged Lyanna and Elia in silence, _I'm coming. I'm coming._

 

* * *

 

 

It had not been easy to change his assignment so another would guard the King's chamber, but since Rhaegar had taken three of his sworn brothers when he had left King's Landing, Arthur had managed to get Jaime Lannister to guard Aerys' door that night instead of Lyanna's. There had been a warning look in the youngest of the white knight's eyes, as if he feared Arthur would do something stupid, that the Dayne had decided to ignore.

He stood in the corridor for hours as the sun came down and the noises in the castle went out, until there was nothing around him but freezing silence and the feeling of the world being lost to darkness. Down the corridor, the fire of a torch casted shadows in the wall, and the smell of the burning wax filled his nostrils, reminding him of another fire.

When he was sure everyone was sleeping and no one would come near there, he shifted from his defensive stance to grab the door handle.

He could still hear Ashara's screams when he had gone to Elia's chambers the morning after Rickard's and Brandon's execution. She had blamed him for allowing it to happen, for serving a king who had at last proven to be beyond mad, for not protecting those who really needed. There had been no need to tell her that was what he had aimed for, what he had wanted, what he had dreamed of when he accepted to be knighted as a member of the kingsguard. She already knew, but that hadn't stopped her from accusing him. And Arthur couldn't blame her, not when Aerys had called for the head of the father of the child his sister was expecting.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door to Lyanna's room.

He was not sure what he had been expecting, but what he found was certainly not it.

There was no light in the room, no chandelier or candle to light up the place, but even in the semi darkness Arthur could see platters on the wooden table and smell them as the food they carried rotted away, uneaten. It took him a moment to notice there was no air coming from the outside, and he saw the crystal doors that lead to the balcony were closed.

"They put a chain on the doors. I think they were afraid I'd jump."

Arthur turned slowly toward her voice, barely able to make her small figure in the massive bed she was sat upon. It sounded broken, as if her throat were shore. It wouldn't been impossible for that to be the reason behind her low and hoarse tone, since he was sure she had broken her voice that night in the throne room.

Before he could answer her, she said, "Are you here to finish the job?"

The white knight gave a taunting step toward the bed.

"Lya−"

"You can't call me that now," she cut him off. He nodded, even if the princess could not see him, because he understood.

"I'm not here to harm you," Arthur promised, even if deep down inside his heart he was sure she wouldn't believe him.

Lyanna made a sound that could have been a laugh but resembled a sob before she replied, "I've already been hurt. I have lost my father. I have lost my brother."

It was not only sadness in her words, but also resignation, as if she had already given up on life. For a moment, Arthur waited. Waited to see if she asked him about her other brothers, about her husband and her brother in law.

He knew that Ned, Jon Arryn and Robert were wanted men, and Aerys would not rest until he had their heads, and he knew the three of them had called for their armies, had heard about the battle Jon Arryn had raged at Gulltown against the only bannermen of his after the he refused his call and about how the battle had ended when Baratheon had slayed the man.

And he knew Dorne have heard of what had happened, he had made sure of it, sending Oberyn and Doran a letter to warn them. But no one had heard anything about the Martell armies.

"Your other brother lives," he decided to tell her. "The King considers him a traitor to the crown. He has Arryn and Baratheon at his side."

Arthur didn't speak of armies, of alliances, of war. He didn't need to.

He heard the mattress protest as Lyanna moved forward on the bed, closer to where he stood at the foot of it. The knight couldn't make her features but noticed the sigh she let out, and against heard her sob faintly, as her long dark hair fell unbound down her shoulders. His white cloak, the one he had wrapped her in after she broke down at the throne room, was on top of her covers.

"I told Rhaegar, you know? That Ned would come for me, and for Ashara and her child." Before Arthur could register her movements, the princess reached for him, her left arm closing around his right forearm as if she could summon claws and break the skin beneath his shirt. "Take care of Ashara and Elia. If Ned comes…Aerys'll think they have something to do with it."

There had been few times in his life in which Arthur Dayne had found himself stunned by someone, and this was definitely one of them. Because Lyanna Stark had been locked up, hurt, and put through something that he was sure would have broken him, and still she cared more about those she loved as sisters than she did about herself.

"I'll take care of them," he vowed, and intended to keep that vow. And then he moved his free arm to unsheathe a dagger from his belt. Lyanna didn't even flinch, but he could feel her stare burning against his flesh. Turning the dagger around in his hand, he offered it to her. "And you take care of yourself."

As she took the weapon he offered, the knight didn't dare wonder for what she might use it or against whom she might wield it.

"I wouldn't worry if it were only I I needed to take care of."

Lyanna finished the sentence abruptly and closed her mouth after that, as if she regretted what she had just said. Arthur frowned and narrowed her eyes, not quite understanding what she meant.

"Lyanna−"

"I understand," she cut him off once again. "I understand that you made a vow when you entered the kingsguard. You must keep it, no matter what."

And he knew she meant it, because both she and Ned were so damn honorable that none of them would blame him for doing nothing and staying put as Aerys Targaryen burned Rickard alive and tortured Brandon to death. As Lyanna was forced to watch.

But he blamed himself. For all his years, he would blame himself.

"It does matter," the knight replied after a moment of silence.

"We would both be dead if you had tried to get me out of there. We would both die if you tried to take me out now."

The truth, raw and aching and horrible, but the truth nevertheless.

"Keep the dagger hidden," he told her. "Do what you must, and try to sleep."

With that, Arthur turned around and left the room, mindful of not making any noise as he closed the heavy wooden door, and Lyanna was left to stare after him, and then at the dagger still burning cold between her fingers.

As dreadful silence fell around her once again, the princess let her other hand rest on her belly. She hadn't wanted −hadn't dared− ask about Oberyn, because she didn't want him to come to this hell but at the same time she yearned for him to do so. To come and join Ned and kill them all for what they had done to her and to her family. For keeping her in there.

Taking a deep breath and blinking to keep the tears away –she had already cried enough− she laid back on the bed.

She had laughed when the servants had chained the balcony doors, because if she truly wished to end this hell, to end her life, she'd just jump through those glass doors, never minding the pain it would cause her, and then throw herself into the abyss.

They hadn't understood why she laughed. They hadn't known her enough.

And then once they were gone she had cried; for herself, and for her weakness and inability to do anything; for Bran and Father; for the brothers she was sure she'd never see again; for the husband she knew would go mad with rage if anything happened to her; and for the child growing inside of her.


	30. Duty and Honor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Mariona, Happy Birthday. Please, forgive me for the angst :)

The maid that brought her breakfast that morning and draw her a bath was a new one. She had olive skin and big brown eyes that she fixed away from Lyanna, even as she stood not far from the tub while the princess bathed and cleaned herself. The princess was quick to understand she had others to watch her so she might to drown herself. Still Lyanna did not hate the girl.

"Do you have a name?" she asked the girl. She didn't really care, but she was done bathing, the water was turning cold, and she didn't want to risk the servant seeing the little bump on her belly when she got out to get a towel, so she guessed the best wound be to distract her.

Behind her, the girl cleared her throat.

"It's Wylla, Your Grace."

Her accent was strong and deep and Lyanna turned in the tub to look at her, the cold water dancing around her. The servant hold her gaze for a moment and then looked down. No one in King's Landing had ever called her Your Grace.

"Wylla Sand?" she asked, standing and walking out of the tub, her back to the girl, before grabbing a towel a wrapping it around her body.

"Yes, Your Grace."

The princess' grey eyes scanned the girl's face, unsure. There was something about her, about her voice, that made her believe she could be trusted. But at the moment trust was not something she was ready to give away lightly. Had Arthur sent her to keep an eye on her? Had Ashara? Elia? She didn't dare ask.

"You may leave."

Wylla bowed something none of the other servants had done, but stopped before leaving. "Eat, Your Grace."

And then she was gone.

Lyanna was quick to dry her body and hair, before braiding her tangled curls back and looking for a nightgown. The material would be loose enough that even if someone looked at her carefully they wouldn't notice the changes in her body that she was already starting to feel.

She had just sat at the table to try and eat as Wylla had asked of her, when someone called her name from outside the door. She ignored him.

Staring at the plates before her, she pushed away the beef. It smelled of cooked and burnt flesh and made her eyes water and her stomach turn. She reached for the berries and the bread. Lyanna knew, of course, that she would have to eat meat again one day, that she would need the strength it'd give her. But the smell…No, she couldn't do it today.

"Lyanna," Jaime Lannister called again from the other side of the door.

Still, the princess didn't answer. A moment later, the door unlocked, and she turned to meet Jaime's emerald eyes as he peered inside. "I called."

"And I ignored you, Ser." She went back to her food, hearing the door close behind him.

The white knight didn't approached her though, deciding instead to remain pressed against the door.

"Right, because you are having so much fun in here all by your lonesome that you wouldn't like some company."

Lyanna almost choked on the juice she was drinking. How dare he talk to her like that?

When she turned to snap at him and tell him to go rot under his father's rock, though, she found in his gaze that that was the reaction he was trying to get out of her. Rage, anger, discontent. The need to smack him grew then, because he wasn't supposed to know what she needed.

Absentmindedly, she wondered what he thought of his Mad King.

"What did he want?" he asked. Lyanna raised an eyebrow at him, confused, so he explained, "Arthur. He wanted to be the one to guard you the other night, why?"

"He wanted to apologize." It wasn't a lie, not entirely, but she wouldn't give him the truth.

Jaime stiffened and crossed his arms over his chest. The pommel of his sword shone bright thanks to the sun coming from outside and casted shadows on the door behind him.

"He did nothing."

"True," she nodded, biting her lip. "And neither did you."

He made a sound that could have been a bitter laugh and she kept eating.

"We swore an oath, my lady. We must keep it."

It was her turn to laugh, and the sound was alien to her ears. Had her laugh been like that before? Lyanna couldn't recall.

"I'm my lady again then? A moment ago I was Lyanna."

Jaime shook his head and clenched his jaw. If it was in anger, surprise or something else the princess didn't know.

"I must admit," She continued, "you don't strike me as a man who makes oaths. Why did you join the Kingsguard, I wonder."

"For love, of course."

That made Lyanna frown, her eyes as unyielding as the grey stones of Winterfell as they surveyed him. Love? For House Targaryen?

"Your father and the king grew apart years ago. The whole world knows Tywin Lannister didn't approve when Aerys made you a white knight. What love would you have for him?"

He just shrugged, not giving her an answer, but his mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile, as if there was some deep dark secret that only he knew and Lyanna didn't understand.

"Get out of here," she spat at him.

For a moment the only sound in the room was the noise his armor made as he opened the door. Before walking out, he said, "For what it's worth, I don't think it was right."

"Get. Out."

He did.

 

* * *

 

 

Robert had left him.

Seeing as Hoster Tully would have a Stark or would not help them, there had been no reason for his best friend to ride with him to Riverrun, so he had taken a ship instead and gone home to Storm's End, to call for his armies.

Ned had known when they had parted that even if Robert claimed anger and wanted vengeance for what had been done to Rickard and Brandon Stark, the fury that shown in the depths of his best friends cerulean eyes was not to Aerys, but to Rhaegar.

Rhaegar who had broken every vow when he had locked Lyanna in his Red Keep. Rhaegar who had taken the woman Robert still loved.

The young new Lord of Winterfell hadn't bothered remind the Lord of Storm's End of the fact that his sister was married to another. And happily apparently.

There had been no word from Dorne when Eddard had left The Vale, but he thought he knew Oberyn Martell enough to know he would be riding north by now, his spear laced with poison and his army of vipers behind him. At least Ned hoped he would be.

Turning to look at Jon Arryn, who rode by his side, Ned sighed. They were close to Riverrun now, had used the last two weeks to travel almost without stopping, because the ground to cover was considerable and every day of delay, every hour, every minute, meant another moment Lyanna was locked up in the Red Keep. Another moment Ashara and their child were kept away from him.

The thought of his love burned him, because he knew that what he was about to do would destroy every promise he had ever made her _. She will understand_ , he told himself.  _She will know I did it for her. What does my honor matter if I can't keep her safe?_

"We are here, my boy," Jon said, bringing him back to reality.

Rising his grey eyes to stare at the horizon, Ned saw the castle that was the pride of House Tully for the first time.

Riverrun was a strong three-sided castle, although not especially large, it looked like a great ship with its prow pointed downriver and it was surrounded by a massive man-made ditch. In time of danger, Ned knew, the sluice gates could be opened to fill a wide moat and leave the castle surrounded on all three sides by water, turning Riverrun into an island and leaving it practically unassailable.

"Let's go meet this Hoster Tully, then." He didn't dare mention his daughters.

 

* * *

 

 

The sun was already high in the sky by the time they reached the castle and, after several servants took their horses to the stables, another guided them to their Lord.

The servant boy took them through a Godswood that Ned had not expected to see in a southern castle, the bright and airy garden with elms, redwoods, wildflowers, nesting birds and streams reminding him slightly of home. Its heart tree, though, was nothing compared to the one at Winterfell. Not far from it, amidst a beautiful garden, was a seven-sided sandstone building that he guessed was the sept.

All too soon, they were crossing a threshold and being led into the Great Hall of Riverrun, were Lord Hoster Tully sat at his family's high seat.

The man was several decades younger than Jon Arryn and yet, it seemed to Ned, he looked as older. But while Jon looked wise and proud and had the stance of a warrior, this man seemed to be swallowed by his own throne. He had grey hair and beard and his deep blue eyes looked at them with a light Eddard did not understand.

"My Lord Hoster," Jon greeted and bowed his head. Ned forced himself to repeat his movements.

"Lord Arryn," he replied, "it is good to see you again." Then he turned his full attention to Ned. "And you must be the Lord of Winterfell."  _No_ , he wanted to say,  _that's my father. That should be Brandon._

"Yes, my Lord," he said instead.

"Your father was a good man." Lord Hoster offered. "So was your brother. He had the passion of youth, of course, and maybe if he hadn't…But he was a good boy."

Eddard clenched his jaw. His brother had been no boy, he had been a proud son of Winterfell, a son of wolves, and braver than Ned would ever be. He did not like the way Hoster Tully had spoken of him, as if his death and their father's were Brandon's fault for trying to save Lyanna. As if the Mad King had nothing to do with it and his dead family members had been nothing but traitors.

"I'm aware." He answered. No title, no politeness. He could feel Jon's stare burning against his cheek but he didn't care.

Hoster Tully could have him, but there was no way Ned was going to let the man slander his siblings. Or his father.

He could have sworn there was a sly smile on the man's lips before he addressed him again, but due to the distance between them and the lord's beard he could not be sure.

"And now you intend to march against your king, young boy, and you'd ask for me to do the same."

Before Ned could answer, Jon Arryn said, "We talked about this, Hoster. The Mad King's reign of terror has lasted enough. He has betrayed the Realm, and we will not stand for it."

Hoster Tully nodded.

"My sweet Cat grieved for your spirited brother so much I thought her heart might have been broken." He was addressing Ned again. "But she is a good daughter, mindful of her duty, and she knows I made a promise to the North."

Eddard could have punched him. It would have been easy, the only guards in the room were near the door and the Lord of Riverrun and he were but mere steps apart. He could cross the distance and punch him so hard he didn't dare talk to him like that again. Because forcing his hand in this matter, knowing how desperate the situation was, knowing that with the Tyrells siding with the Crown they needed the men from the Riverlands, was far from honorable.

_For Lyanna._

"I'm sure she is. And I'd be more than honored to make sure my father's good word is kept."

_For Ashara._

It didn't make the sick feeling in his stomach go away. And it didn't stop him from wanting to punch him.

Hoster Tully nodded, visibly pleased, and stood from his chair to approach them. He hugged them, as if he were welcoming them to the family, and when he moved away to tell his maester to bring forward the papers they had to sign Jon put an arm on Ned's shoulder.

Did he know that he was all but dead inside already? That the thought of the people he loved the most in this world trapped and defenseless made him want to cry loud enough to wake the Gods? That he felt useless and this was the only way he could do something for them?

Jon was the first to sign the contract that would officially betroth Lysa Tully to him. It was easy. She was young and beautiful, if her father was to be believed, and Jon needed a wife that could give him heirs.

But Ned didn't. Ned had already promised himself to another, already had a child in the way.

He wanted to punch himself this time.

There hadn't been a contract between Ashara and him because his father had wanted to wait for them to get married until after Brandon's and Catelyn's wedding, and because Ned didn't want gossip to spread about them before that, didn't want anyone to know she was with his child so they wouldn't insult her or isolate her.

He had wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, to wait until they were married so no one would question her honor.

When Jon was done, it was his turn. He signed and bit his lip.

 _I'm sorry. I love you._  In the back of his mind he could have sworn he heard Ashara's beautiful laugh.

The next thing he knew was that he was being taken away to a private chamber to have a bath and get changed. The wedding was to be held before dusk, so Jon and Ned may leave at dawn to rejoin their forces. Hopefully Robert would have sent word by then.

It was Jon that came for him hours later, a sadden look in his blue eyes.

"Ned…"

Eddard didn't let him begin.

"Let's do this. My sister is waiting."

Eddard could never recall the walk from his chambers back to the gardens, or from the gardens and into the sept. If Jon talked to him, he did not hear it. He felt as if he were sleepwalking, as if his body was there but his mind and soul were far away, telling him to run, run, run.

He didn't run.

He saw some of his companions inside the sept, some of his father's trusted men too. The others men, lords and soldiers and squires from the Riverlands that he had never seen but that needed to be there to bear witness to the weddings of the daughters of Riverrun with the Lords of the Eyrie and Winterfell.

And at the end of the aisle waited the sisters.

It had been months since Ned had last seen Lysa and Catelyn, and as he stared at them now he could barely recognize them. Of course, he remembered their long auburn hair and bright blue smiles, but he had never cared to care for them past the point of politeness, because he was not meant to ever get to actually know them.

Catelyn smiled sadly up at her when he reached her side, but he would soon forget that too. His mind didn't seem to be working properly but Ned wasn't sure he cared. Around him, people stared. Around him, people spoke. He said the words when he was supposed to and cloaked Catelyn – _his wife_ −when he was told to.

_Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting. Lyanna is waiting._

Ned knew why he had to do this, why he needed Hoster Tully, and still, as he walked out of the sept, he felt not like the twenty year old man he was, but like a ten year old child who needed his father to hold him and tell him everything was going to be alright.

Months before, the worst of his worries was not being bold enough to ask Ashara Dayne for a dance, and now…How had the world become something so twisted? How had he become this person that would break and sell his promises?

_Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me. Ashara needs me._

Hoster approached the matter of the army during the feast and, for the first time since he had arrived at Riverrun, Eddard Stark actually paid attention to something. The three of them –Jon, Hoster and Ned− decided the best would be to leave right after dawn, and their host, and father-in-law, promised to have his men ready to march with enough supplies to feed both them and the army that was coming down from the North are they sat there eating and drinking.

And for some glorious moments Ned forgot of the world around them and the woman sitting at his side. Until some stupid son of a lord called for the wedding ceremony, making him forget about the ice that had taken hold of his heart and filling him without a fury he hadn't wanted to summon at the moment, because he may have been ready to put aside his honor and his pride and his morals for a chance at saving the women he loved most but he was not ready to be humiliated in front of all those people. And he considered himself a man good enough not to allow the woman he was now bound to to be humiliated.

The men and the women carried of Jon and Lysa, laughing as if the country wasn't at war and they had no worries, but when one of them reached for Catelyn, fear dancing across her pale features, Ned all but roared:

"There will be no bedding ceremony and you will not touch her."

There was gratitude in her blue eyes as he took her hand and escorted her out of the Great Hall of Riverrun and across the castle to the chambers they were supposed to share. Around them, only silence lingered as the laughs and the voices and the music of the lords and ladies got lost and died the further they walked from the feast.

Once they were alone in his room, Ned found his voice again, even as Catelyn started undoing the laces of her dress.

"There is no need, my lady." He struggled with words. "I understand that we have only just met and it would be unkind of me to get advantage of that. I will take you to your own rooms if that's what you desire." He managed a smile. "I would not want to start this by causing you any discomfort." He said _this_  because he didn't dare to give it a name, even if it had one. Even if he couldn't scape it.

For a moment, Catelyn looked confused, her blue eyes staring at him with disbelief, and then she gave a step toward him. _Please_ , Ned wanted to beg her, _please don't make me go through with this_. Because maybe, just maybe, if Catelyn remained a maiden and he managed not to die in the war…

Maybe.

"You need not fear for me, my lord." She told him, taking his hand in hers ever so hesitantly. "The Seven have blessed us now, and it is our duty to do as they would command of us."

Catelyn raised his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles, which were still raw and healing from when he had broken them against a bedpost after he'd heard the news about his father and brother.

"Just…" She hesitated. "Will you be kind?"

Ned saw then that he was not the only one afraid. Granted that their worries were entirely different and their fears were not similar at all, the fact remained that both of them had been thrown into a marriage they didn't want. Kindness was probably the only thing Eddard Stark of Winterfell could give Catelyn Tully of Riverrun.

"Of course, my lady," he answered, and the tension on her face went away.

She went back to working on her laces, but her eyes didn't leave his grey ones.

 _Family, Duty, Honor._  The Tully words.  _It is our duty_ , Catelyn had just said.

But Ned's duty was not to her, not to the Gods −the Old or the New−but to his family, broken and scattered and in danger as it might be.

_Family._

He took his jacket off and then threw his shirt over his head.

_Duty._

Catelyn stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, and Ned leaned in, remembering his promise of kindness.

_Honor._

But afterwards, as his wife slept next to him, he found sleep would not come easy to him, and there was little in this world that could give him back the peace of mind he had lost, and almost nothing that could bring him back to the boy he had once day been. That boy had been meant for summer, and winter was coming.


	31. The Snake and the Storm

Morning brought the sweet sound of birds and the beautiful light of the golden sun, but as he rushed from his rooms to the Great Hall of Riverrun, the only thing Eddard Stark could hear was the pounding of his own heart, the only thing he could see was the men, the soldiers, the boys and the quires, getting ready for war. Getting ready for something they may not survive.

Jon was waiting for him when he entered the Hall, as was Lord Tully, and they were quick to set everything in motion. Part of the Tully army would remain at Riverrun until Ned brought the northerners down the Neck and they could join Robert. As much as he agreed with the plan, and knowing his friend might not be able to call all his banner men to arms without some of them turning against him, Eddard commanded Hoster to send the men to the Stormlands if the need arose.

Then, just in case something happened to him, he made both Tully and Arryn swear a vow to protect Lyanna. And to crown Elia Martell as Princess Regent of the Seven Kingdoms until her baby boy was old enough to rule. The children, after all, did not have to pay for their father's and grandfather's sins.

Wherever Oberyn was, whatever the Martells thought of this war, Ned was sure that was a promise they too would make sure to keep and see fulfilled.

He did not miss the disapproval in Hoster's blue eyes, as the Lord was surely not used to being ordered around, but he was done playing games. War had come to their doorsteps and he was no longer a boy, but the Lord of Winterfell.

He was gone before Catelyn woke up, riding North.  _Riding home_ , he thought, but then he remembered home were no longer the grey walls of Winterfell, they hadn't been for a long time. His home was north no longer, but trapped in a southern city, surrounded by enemies.

 

* * *

 

Larra had expected their journey through the Red Mountains to be easy, quick and uneventful, seeing as most of the lords who could stop them had agreed to look the other way in his name. They travelled with little to no supplies and never started a fire at night when they were out in the open or without any mountain to shield them. They didn't know, after all, how many men Doran had sent for Oberyn, just like they didn't know if the might be close. Which was mostly why they didn't keep to the main routes to cross the mountains.

Betraying Doran as he had hurt Oberyn and the prince hoped his brother was aware of that fact, but there was no way he would have stayed at the Water Gardens or at Sunspear to try and discuss politics with men who didn't care about his wrath when his sister and his wife were captive in the Red Keep.

The last time he had seen Elia she had been tired, drained and bedridden, but happy, with her babe between her arms, her daughter playing with her little cat at the foot of her bed, and a smile decorating her beautiful face. She had urged him to leave and help Doran even as he told her he didn't feel happy leaving her on her own after such a difficult birth. And she had told him she was well attended.

"Besides, if Lya's staying Ash and I will have nothing but fun." Her dark eyes had shown golden and he hadn't been able to deny her.

And Lyanna…The last memory he had of his wife was from the morning he'd left her.

The prince hadn't wanted to wake her up, not even to kiss her goodbye, and she'd been tangled in their sheets, her pale skin glowing under the light of the sun that came through the windows and her dark hair falling on the pillow like a river of obsidian waters. There had been something peaceful about her and Oberyn had just stared at her as he broke his fast in silence and then left the rooms. He'd see her soon, he had thought, there was no need to disturb her sleep.

So he had left her in the capital, ready for Rhaegar to lock up.

As much as he tried, the prince couldn't understand what had moved Rhaegar to do such a thing or why would he dare start a war with Dorne by making a prisoner of Elia's sister-in-law. But then again, Rhaegar  _had_  crowned Lyanna his Queen of Love and Beauty at Harrenhal.

"He crowned her because she was the Knight of the Laughing Tree. Because he thought she should have won the tourney." Elia had explained to him, so he might know that her husband's intentions were as honorable as ever.

But had that been true or had his true intentions been something else, something hidden? Had he wanted her, even then, had he planned on taking her away against her will? Had he watched Lyanna become Oberyn's wife and hated him for it, because somewhere deep inside of him the Crown Prince wanted the She-Wolf for himself?

The mere thought of that pompous silver haired prince laying a finger on  _his wife_ …

He'd kill him. He didn't care if Elia hated him for it. He'd kill Rhaegar, he'd get Lyanna back and Elia's life will be better without her husband in it. And then he'd crown his sister and gods help the man who dare go against her.

"Oberyn," Larra called.

They had stopped for the night but hadn't dared to start a fire, not when they were already deep inside the Stormlands and could cross paths with a man of House Baratheon at any time. They were not here to be taken prisoners by Stannis Baratheon after all.

And he knew it would be Stannis Baratheon who'd be in charge of locking them all up because he knew Robert was away, back at the Eyrie with Jon Arryn. The prince wondered if Eddard was still there, of if he had ridden North already to summon his men and ride to free his sister.

 _Honor my sister,_ Ned had written. Oberyn couldn't believe the man to be sitting idly as his sister suffered, but had no way to know exactly where his brother-in-law was or what he was planning.

"Larra," he replied.

They were enveloped in shadows, the steel of his spear the only sound around them as he sharpened it.

"We'll run out of supplies before we reach King's Landing." The lady said. And then as if guessing the answer he was going to give her she added, "And spite and rage won't feed you long enough to save my princesses."

Oberyn smiled despite himself. Not only at her tone, meant to cheer him up, but also at her words. My princesses, she had called Lyanna and Elia. Princesses of Dorne worthy of her trust and her loyalty. He could have kissed her for it.

Instead, he said, "But wouldn't that be worthy of a song." He made the spear turn in his hand and placed his onyx eyes on her hazel ones. "The Viper starved for myriads of days and nights in grief of his loved ones, and only the power of the Warrior kept him alive, only his will let him triumph in his quest."

Larra punched his arm, and Oberyn couldn't say he was surprised. There was anger in her face now, but her eyes were still kind.

"There are plenty of villages from here to King's Landing."

"We can't attack them without provocation. That'd mean war with the Stormlands. And we can't impose on them because there is no way they will take us in."

The prince new that, of course he did, but he hadn't anticipated it. Hadn't thought about it in his worry, in his anger. If it were for him, he'd spur his horse and wouldn't stop until he'd reached the capital. And then he'd call out for Rhaegar.

Oberyn might have said it out loud because Larra groaned, "That didn't go too well for your brother-in-law, did it?"

The Viper had done his best not to think of it. Of Brandon and Rickard being butchered, one hanged and the other burned alive if one was to pay heed to rumor. Because there were whispers that said Lyanna had been there, watching, chained. That she had pleaded at the King to let them go.

Others said she had promised the Mad King other kinds of things for her family to be set free. That she had begged to be the whore of both father and son. Then again, that rumor had come from a young servant who hadn't been able to talk much after Obera had beat him up so bloody he had barely been able to move and had lost most of his teeth. Still, even if he knew it was a bunch of lies, hearing someone saying that word –calling his wife  _a whore_ – made him want to rip the continent apart, not caring about anything or anyone on his path.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice that, in the darkness, Larra waited for an answer.

"How long will the supplies last?" he asked, discarding the subject of Brandon Stark at once.

"Another week at least."

"Then sleep, Larra. We'll figure it out."

In another week they would have crossed the Sotrmlands, and the Crownlands were sure to provide them with animals to hunt.

And if they didn't, Oberyn would forsake Larra's warnings and stop eating altogether. He had done so before in Essos when he had travelled with the Second Sons and food had been a luxury for them. He knew what it was to be hungry, to be without a shelter, to have no one to truly turn to in need of help.

Rubbing at his temples and putting away his spear, the prince did his best to try and sleep.

 

* * *

 

In the end, they discovered they needn't worry about supplies or hunting at all. War found them barely half a week later.

Oberyn had fought in Essos for years, had ridden into battle with the Second Sons and new what war implied, but a Westerosi army was nothing alike one of Essos. Especially since Westeros was currently submerged in a civil war and there was no way to know who was on which side.

When the prince and his companions heard the roar of battle and saw the armies clashing, though, Oberyn knew at once who his enemies here were. But wasn't sure if he had friends there at all. Not even as the stag flapped in the wind to repress an uprising.

Robert Baratheon, it seemed, had not been able to summon all of his vassals peacefully, and some of them were still willing to fight for a King who had called for their Lord's head. The again, maybe they expected to be given Storm's End when House Baratheon was obliterated.

"Archers," Oberyn commanded, and didn't even take his dark eyes from the fight. Larra, at his side, made a gesture to the men but it was not needed. They were already reading their bows.

It was then that the viper spotted the Lord of Storm's End. He was mounting a dark stallion, wore a horned helmet and wielded a huge war hammer that killed every man who was foolish enough to get in its way. And was as full of himself as the last time Oberyn had seen him.

"We help Baratheon?" Larra asked, though he knew she knew the answer.

"Today we do," Oberyn nodded. After all, Robert still had several wrongdoings to answer for.

The dense canopy of trees offered them enough cover that no one in the field before them would see where the arrows came from. Hopefully, Baratheon would be smart enough to understand they were helping him and not charge against them. But Oberyn knew the man to be an oaf and a fool, so he didn't keep his hopes up.

"Loose."

Silence after he gave his command and then the sound of arrows as they flew out of their hiding place and struck their targets.

"They would have won eventually."

Even as the screams reached their ears, even as Robert's cavalry pushed the enemy away, Oberyn heard Larra loud and clear.

"Don't tell him that."

Men roared, both in triumph and pain, and arrows kept flying, swords kept clashing. As much as the prince wanted to fight, he knew this was not the place to do it. His spear was not meant for these summer soldiers of the Stormlands.

Soon enough, the battle was over, and the men who were left on the losing side run and scattered, knowing what awaited them if captured.

Across the clearing, still sheltered by the trees, Oberyn Martell watched Robert Baratheon dismount his horse and take off his helmet. He handed it unceremoniously to the squire who came to help him and his cerulean eyes scrutinized the forest.

"Will he greet you or kill you I wonder."

The prince hadn't heard Delonne but she was now at his left, and arrow ready on her bow, her dark eyes showing none of the playful tone that danced in her voice. Oberyn didn't answer her because they both knew that both options were possible, and they both knew the outcome of each of them.

If Robert greeted him, they'd ride North with him to Ned. If he tried to kill him–because there was truly no way in earth for that brute to best him in single combat– then Oberyn would have to kill him. Or maim him. And that would be…oh, so messy.

"Eyes sharp," he commanded, steeping out of the shadows after making a signal for his men to stay hidden.

"Always," was Larra's answer as she unsheathed her twin swords and followed him.

A look was enough for her to see his approval and then the prince hid his emotions behind a façade, behind the face of the Viper both enemies and friends had long ago learnt lived inside him, and walked toward the Lord of Storm's End.

Robert didn't move, even as the two dornish warriors approached him, as they stepped over fallen soldiers from both sides and their boots turned red with blood. He just stared at them.

When there were but four feet between them Oberyn stopped. "You are ridding North, I hear."

"I'm ridding to vengeance." There was blood on Robert's face where the helmet had not covered it, and he still clutched his war hammer on his right hand.

And his answer…It was all the prince could do not to roll his eyes.

"The Mad King and his son" –he refused to say the bastard's name– "have my wife on their Red Keep. I intend to get her back and kill them for  _ever_ daring to harm her."

He wasn't stupid enough to mention Elia, and he was smart enough to know that Robert Baratheon had for many years been, and still was, in love with Lyanna. Or so he believed. So as much as he'd like to punch the man until his skull gave in for what he had once wanted to do to Lyanna, he held back. For her sake.

After a moment that seemed an eternity, the Stag nodded at the Red Viper and offered him his arm.

There was hatred in his blue eyes as Oberyn accepted his offering and it was as if both men made a silent promise, there and then, in that moment. A promise to fight for Lyanna Stark, to see the Targaryen King and Crown Prince die for their crimes, and to hate each other until there was no longer breath in their lungs.


	32. A House of Beasts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, darlings!  
> This chapter is shorter than my usual chapters but I hope you enjoy it all the same.  
> Also, I made a pinterest board for the story that maybe you'd like to check: https://www.pinterest.es/ladyofwinterfell/a-song-of-snakes-and-wolves/  
> 

When Lyanna awoke, she was aware of two things. First, she was lying on the floor of her chambers. Second, Rhaegar Targaryen was back in the Red Keep.

She’d had a nightmare the night before, she remembered that too, and had awoken screaming and kicking and trying to fight off an enemy that was not there but in her mind. Heart racing, she had stopped once she’d taken in her surrounding, once she’d noticed where she was still. Trapped. Her hands had by instinct, as they seem to do every so often now, found their way to her belly. Inside it, her son slept, unaware of his mother’s troubles.

And she was certain it was a son, she had told Wylla as much when the servant had asked her about it, her bump too noticeable now to be ignored. When Wylla had wondered why she was so sure the princess had stated that she could feel it in her bones. That the northern winds had whispered it in her ear. Maege would have laughed, Lyanna knew.

She’d done her best to calm herself then, for both their sakes, and had stood from the bed to reach for a pitcher of water.

“Princess,” a voice called from the other side of the door. She would have jumped in surprise if not for the familiarity of it.

Making sure her dagger was still strapped across her calf –she’d secured it there some days before and knew when to take it off and hide it under the bed so it might not be discovered– Lyanna approached the door and sat on the floor with a sigh, her long nightgown the only sound in the room as it floated over the floor. Was it usual for her to be so tired? She was but four moons pregnant.

“I’m alright,” she had answered.

She had heard movement on the other side of the heavy door as Arthur slumped down to the floor, armor and all, and then a knock against the door where he let Dawn rest. Careless for a Kingsguard to behave so recklessly, but she had seen him train and knew he was sure to be even more lethal when fighting. Sitting down for a while would not change his effectiveness in exterminating any threat. Not that he would be able to destroy the real threat anyway.

“What was it this time?” he had inquired.

Lyanna wondered now if they had not been too loud, if their voices had not soared past the eerie silence of those red corridors and flown to Rhaegar, to alert him of what was going on in his Keep. Then again, she knew voices could not fly and the walls had no ears, but she also knew the castle had spies and wicked men filling it, and every single one of them would surely be willing to report to The Spider of how kind Arthur always was to her. If they had not already. She dreaded the day the King heard too.

But in that moment, the princess had let her head rest against the wood, blinking back unshed tears of fear, and had answered, “I was back in that room, with his laugh.” Her fingers had absentmindedly traced the still forming scars on her wrists. Wylla had scold her for picking at them, said they’d take longer to heal, but Lyanna truly had not cared. “But it was the girls burning, not Father.”

She had said nothing further –had not needed to.

Those last weeks it had been a recurring dream, to see brave Obara, fierce Nym, sweet Tyene, and even little Sarella, burning under the Mad King’s orders, with Lyanna as a mere spectator, unable to do a thing to save them. She had figured out the dreams were because of the baby, because of her fear of not being enough to keep the child safe, but that didn’t help ease the terror the dreams would awake in her.

“Have I ever told you about how my older brother once ended up naked in the middle of his own courtyard at Starfall?”

And that was all Arthur was able to do for her, to keep her sane and try to distract her. More would get them both killed.

“No.” He already knew that, of course.

“It’s a great story. His wife was so angry she didn’t let him into their chamber that night.”

It had been a story about a gambling problem and Lyanna had fallen asleep listening to it, letting herself forget that there was a world out there that raged and burned with the drums of war.

So, when she woke up, she was still on the marvel floor of the chamber.

But behind the still closed door, it was not only Arthur’s voice that she could hear, but also Jaime Lannister’s. And Prince Rhaegar Targaryen’s.

Lyanna was only half aware of the fact that she was trapped as she stood and moved to the far side of the room, holding the cloak around her shoulders tighter over her nightgown, both her heart and mind racing. As the door opened, she moved to the left side of the bed, so that it might be a barrier between her and the men if they tried to get to her.

Jaime was the first to come into the room, and the princess did not miss the way he angled himself so he would be between her and Rhaegar when the Crown Prince walked inside. If Rhaegar noticed this, he said nothing. But she did notice his eyes lingering on the white cloak she’d wrapped around herself. The one missing from Arthur’s shoulders.

“Your Highness.” There was mockery in her voice that she could not hold back, even if she knew how much it could cost her. “You are back. I can only imagine you have come to tell me of your travels.”

There was the hint of a smile on Jaime’s lips, even as his eyes warned her to be cautious. But she’d be damned to listen to a Lannister.

“I’ve not come for another match of wits, Lyanna. You can keep on insulting me once this is all done.”

“Once _what_ is done?”

The war, she knew it, but she wanted to hear him say it. To hear him admit he was a fraud and almost as mad as his father. To say that his chivalry was nonexistent and his paranoia had led the country to war.

“We are leaving, I’ve made arrangements already.”

“I’m going nowhere with you, Majesty. But maybe you should go downstairs, offer your wife the same. I’m sure the princess would be more than happy to leave this place and be in the company of her siblings once more.”

Rhaegar’s violet eyes bored into hers. “I know you still don’t see what’s at stake, Lyanna, that you don’t understand that there are forces at play here that are greater than any of us. But you must leave here now, I’ll take you somewhere safe until the war is done, and then you will see what our duty is.”

Mad. He was raving mad.

“You mean after you kill my remaining brothers?” The words were knives. “After you murder my husband?”

“I promise you they will not be harmed.”

Lyanna let out a high-pitched sob, a laugh that sounded more like a wounded deer than the woman that she was. She almost missed the step Arthur gave toward her when Rhaegar approached the bed.

“The hearts of men are like the weather, Your Grace. And beautiful words whispered behind prison bars soon lose their beauty.”

He moved again and Lyanna stepped away, left arm embracing her belly out of instinct. She’d rip his hand off with her teeth if she had to.

And the prince stopped and straightened. He blinked once, twice…

“Who touched her?” The question was for the white knights, not for her, and her blood boiled.

Arthur cleared his throat when it became apparent Jaime would not answer. “Her husband, apparently.”

 _Yes, well and ardently and often_ , Lyanna almost added, but held her tongue when Rhaegar’s violet eyes moved back to hers. How had no one seen it before? The way they changed, from soft lilacs to burning amethysts, as if there were indeed a dragon inside of the prince. A beast waiting to be unleashed.

Still, he managed a smile. “Then you must stay,” he said through clenched teeth. “We will talk once everything ends. And _that_ ,” he pointed at her belly, “has been taken care of.”

When he turned to leave, Lyanna moved forward.

“Let Elia and the children go. Whatever is happening out there, you must let them go. Send them to Dragonstone. They are not safe here.” _None of us are._

Rhaegar didn’t even turn to her on his way out and the two knights still in the room looked confused for a moment, not sure if they were meant to follow their prince or stay there guarding her.

“Make him see,” Lyanna told them.

It was Jaime who said, shaking his head, “You think anyone can?” And then he walked out of the room.

Lyanna reached Arthur before he could make up his mind and leave too, taking his hands in hers. “Please, tell me they are safe.”

The knight nodded, his dark blue eyes scanning her face. “Lewyn is with them. Elia has asked to talk to her husband but Rhaegar won’t answer her summons. If her health were better I have no doubt she’d have come to see you already, to try and free you. But I’m afraid she has become as much of a prisoner here as you are.”

“And so has Ashara. And my nephew and niece.”

The bitterness that laced her words matched the anger in his, for they both knew there was nothing they could do. That they were players watching a game going on around them and had no power to change it. Or win it.

“If war comes to these halls you must protect them.” She did not recognize her own voice. It sounded like a girl’s no longer, but instead reminded her of her father’s. Of Ned’s.

The princess stiffened when the knight’s thumbs brushed at the soft skin of her wrists, at the scabs that would became scars that would now accompany her forever.

“Swear it,” Lyanna commanded, even if she knew she had no right or power to do so. Because that was the only thing she could ask of him and the only thing he could risk to give.

A knock on the door made Arthur pull away from her. “Come in,” he said.

If Wylla was surprised to see the Sword of the Morning inside the chamber, she did not show it, as she brought Lyanna her breakfast.

The knight made a reverence and left her side.

“Arthur,” she insisted, “Please.” But he closed the door and swore nothing; making her fear Elia had forced him to swear something similar about her. Thinking that was the reason he always made sure to be the one at her door.

“Your grace?” Wylla called, and it was only then Lyanna noticed she was shaking.

“I’m fine.” She tried to smile and failed.

And then her knees gave in and she was falling. And falling. And falling.

The girl caught Lyanna in her arms and helped her to a chair, but as much as the princess tried to thank her, her head was spinning and the tears wouldn’t stop coming. Soon, she wasn’t sure she could breathe, and was barely aware of the servant trying to sooth her.

When the shaking stopped and Lyanna was able to find her voice again after Wylla offered her a glass of wine, the servant reached for her hand, holding it tightly. It took the princess a moment to realize what she was doing.

It was long after Wylla left the room that Lyanna found the courage to open the little piece of paper the girl had given her. The tears were of joy when she did, and she sent the Old Gods a prayer to keep brave Wylla out of harm’s way.

Finding a new strength within herself, the princess ate as she read, once and once again, the words her sister had written for her. The promise she made. The plan she had schemed.


End file.
